Having been involved with the event's organisation and development for over 20 years, Richard received a standing ovation from every one of the drivers, co-drivers, teams and organising committee who were present at the event prize giving in Villa Marina on Saturday night.

Richard was also awarded a glass salver from Tony Brown MHK, the island's Chief Minister, as recognition of his unstinting dedication to the sport and the Isle of Man.

The Manx Trophy Rally as it was then called first ran in 1963, and Richard’s involvement began a year later as a marshal. Since then he has held a variety of roles, including using his farming experience as flockmaster! He was Spectator Safety Officer during the famous Rothmans years, as well as Deputy Chief Marshal and Chief Marshal. Much of it was carried out alongside his brother Peter, and the pair very much shaped the development of the rally.

This huge amount of work was carried out side by side with his ‘real’ job as a farm manager until 1991 when he became full time Event Director (it was a role that the sports governing body, the MSA would later write into its rulebook), guiding the rally through its years in the European Rally Championship. It is that position that he still held today, though it was combined with Clerk of the Course for several of those years.

More than position however, it was his approach to the event that defined him. Richard set the tone that the whole rally should be a fun event, while at the same time striving to be as professional as possible and setting high standards. Much of this is down to his personal stamp of energetic drive and ability to find humour in even the most stressful situation.

He can count many of the biggest names in rallying as friends, and has a contacts book to be envied throughout the sport.

The most successful driver in the event's history, Mark Higgins, also knows the effort that goes into providing an International rally. “I've known Richard for a very long time and know he works extremely hard to keep the rally going,” he said. “He puts a lot of effort in to get good competitors over to the island. He has always been able to run one of the best events in the championship and I don't think people realise the amount of work that goes on behind the scenes to keep such an event going. It will be very strange not to have him around on the event if he leaves. Thanks for all your help Richard.”