Wesley Poole, 2024 AHRMA Trustee Candidate – West

The challenge to AHRMA members who may be new to the governing/operations side, is keeping their organization vital and growing. We have a responsibility to those who built AHRMA over the last decades, to not simply be racers, but to learn more about, and participate in governing.

My name is Wes Poole and I’m 37 years old, recently relocated from California to Clark, Colorado. When my parents joined AHRMA, they took the whole family to races starting in 1989, when I was 4 years old. I rode trials at 14 years of age and Vintage MX at 16, and our participation has been continuous from the beginning. In the mid 90’s to the mid -2000’s we traveled extensively to AHRMA events across the country, and as I became older and more aware I saw there were differences in how the regions operated. I began to realize that various regions had their particular style of governing due to the unique circumstances they faced.

I’ve raced and volunteered in Vintage MX, Cross Country and Trials, and though there was little opportunity in the west, I jumped at the opportunity to ride the two or three AHRMA dirt track/TT events in the area. I believe I have a good understanding of the culture and needs of these disciplines. As a trustee I look forward to being introduced to the entirely different world of AHRMA road racing, and I know there is a lot to learn.

It is my opinion that the AHRMA Mission Statements are some of AHRMA’s most important guiding documents, and I will refer to them in making many decisions.

My 7 year old son just rode his first AHRMA trial, and my two daughters and wife always enjoy working and catching up with friends on AHRMA weekend. I am even more emotionally involved and committed to the wellbeing and success of AHRMA, so that my kids can be part of the family that is AHRMA, just as I have been.

I’m pleased to see the technological advances that AHRMA has instituted over the last several years. I understand these needed upgrades, as I made similar changes in 2018 when I took over the construction company my parents started in 1976.

I’ve experienced the best of AHRMA as well as some very unsettling times. In the more resent years I’ve observed a drive to push AHRMA into another level. This required spending money outside anything AHRMA is capable of generating and moving away from the volunteer-based organization I had always known, which was clearly destructive in more ways than just fiscally. As a small business owner, I’m aware of fiscal responsibility on a daily basis, and that it must be respected and never underestimated.

As 2023 comes to a close, AHRMA’s future looks encouraging. I hope to get your vote so that I can be involved in the coming turn-around.

Wesley Poole
Member #1012195
wesatre@gmail.com
415.435.0768