THOUSANDS of off-road motorsport events could be axed following new government rules on how land is used by farmers.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has launched a new way of handing out the EU Single Payment subsidy to farmers with quotas scrapped in favour of a land-use criteria instead.

But under that system, all motorsports have been effectively banned, leading farmers to withdraw their land because of the risk of losing the vital cash subsidy.

Barry Robinson, press officer of the British Motor Cycle Trials Championship, who run many events in North Yorkshire, said: "DEFRA has launched a document which more or less bans farmers from running motorsport events en bloc so that is affecting 22,000 motorcycle licence holders and 7,000 events - with 2,500 car events also under threat.

"This will have a huge knock-on effect and there is a massive battle going on now to get the legislation changed."

The new regulations list countryside activities under three categories. Horse and bike riding, game shooting and drag hunting fall under the generally permitted banner which should be allowed without restriction.

Activities with greater restriction such as clay shooting, car boot sales and hang-gliding can only be carried out on 28 days of the year.

But land that falls into the final category, which includes all motor sports and permanent sports facilities like gallops or golf courses, is ruled ineligible for funding.

The first round of the British Solo Trials Championship scheduled for May 15 at Neath has already been cancelled with hundreds more hanging in the balance as clarification of the rules is sought.

It is feared that the knock-on effect could see fewer people taking part in the sport and so hit the pockets of manufacturers and other suppliers or result in an increase of illegal riding.

Several national organisations including the Auto Cycle Union and the Land Access and Recreation Association are now in the process of mounting a legal challenge to overturn the ban.

Private land, such as the plantation just outside Ouseburn, near York, where last weekend's charity motorcycle trials event was held, is not affected by the rules as they do not receive subsidies.

Updated: 10:24 Saturday, April 30, 2005