NEWS

Team Copeland-Richards, The Burden of Oof!, won the Merry Main Street Trike Race. (Pictured l to r: Britt Richards, Shawn Copeland, Jack Richards, and Tucker McIntyre)

The team fielded by the Copelands Richards law firm, Burdens of Oof!, carried the day in the time-honored trike race after the North Mecklenburg Parade.

Well, “time-honored” might be a bit of an exaggeration. This is the fourth year of the contest, and the Copeland Richards team has participated every one of those years, demonstrating a clear commitment to athletic excellence.

Player Coach, Shawn Copeland, realized that in years past other teams had recruited “young guns” to be on teams. He followed suit this year by recruiting among the ranks of kids whose parents are associated with the firm, which resulted in an undefeated win in double elimination. Observed Copeland, “In years past, we had, shall we say, a higher proportion of older lawyers. This year, I decided to institute the approach used by my fellow West Virginian, Nick Saban. He believed that it is all about recruiting.

“I recruited successfully to create a vigorous team of trike riders. I gave my young team an inspirational speech before the start of the race, telling them that, while they may have heard words to the contrary from respected role models, preparation is overrated. I proved my theory by our overwhelming dominance this year, despite being unpracticed.”

The participants in this year’s Merry Main Street Trike Race.

The Merry Main Street Trike Race began four years ago, organized largely by Ben and Jerry’s own Karen Toney, to continue the fun after the North Mecklenburg Parade had marched through town. Main Street, Town Merchants, and other organizations can field a team of four to have a trike relay. (Read more about the trike race here, in an article written last year by Lyn Batty.)

The Copeland Richards athletes like to keep it fresh with new ideas for costumes and team names with a legal theme, which change every year. The first year, they were the Rolling High Lords of Justice, complete with white wigs and black robes.

The second year they called themselves Law and Disorder, wearing blue and green capes that touted their name, over a sweatshirt that looked like a Christmas sweater.

To compete in the third year’s race, they called themselves The Santa Claws, with Santa robes and Santa Hats that advertised the team name.

“I credit this year’s monumental victory to the fact that our costumes were finally more aerodynamic. No long robes, but sweatshirts that were designed to look like suits. Formal enough for our sober and serious profession, but without robes to slow us down and get caught in the spokes,” held Copeland.

“We at Copeland Richards love being a part of this special place, living, working, and representing clients here. We want to be among others who are the very warp and woof of town. Where else can we have so much fun and make fools of ourselves, all to bring smiles and laughs to our fellow citizens? The firm joins in Concerts on the Green and the Merry Main Street Trike Race because, as Dorothy said, there is no place like home.”

To all the Trike Race participants, we love being those citizens who get to laugh and take joy in watching our wonderful teams take on the spirit of competition, even if it is on adult-sized trikes. Only in Davidson.

Thank  you!

Watch a video compilation from the Merry Main Street Trike Race here.