By Colin MacGillivray

Horsham Motorcycle Club leaders are over the moon after round two of the ProMX Motocross Championship, describing the event as a resounding success.

Horsham played host to a stage of the championship – Australia’s top-class motocross competition – for the first time in several years, drawing an estimated crowd of more than 2500.

Attendees were treated to ideal conditions and a standard of racing that Horsham Motorcycle Club secretary Kenny Watts described as outstanding.

“The riders stepped up to another level, I reckon,” he said.

“They were throwing everything including the kitchen sink at it to try and get a good result.”

Winner of the MX1 category was Jed Beaton, with Queenslanders Nathan Crawford and Kirk Gibbs rounding out the podium.

“Jed Beaton won an Australian title in 2016, so he’s come back and rekindled some form that he had nearly 10 years ago, which was great to see,” Watts said.

Watts said both riders and onlookers had been impressed by the state of the Horsham track and its facilities.

“We think it went perfectly. Motorcycling Australia was rapt with it,” he said.

“The last time they were here was in 2018 for the FIM Junior Motocross World Championship.

“The organisers from ProMX and all the officials rated us very highly. We loved working with them and were grateful for the assistance they gave us. I think Horsham has set the bar high again.”

Watts said the Wimmera region would see positive flow-on effects from the event.

“It’s televised live, so to get people to travel is sometimes difficult, but I bumped into people from Mount Gambier, from Warrnambool, from Echuca and Adelaide,” he said.

“I don’t believe you could get accommodation in Horsham at the weekend. 

“People were having to travel from outside of town, so it not only brought economic benefits to Horsham, but to the wider region with accommodation being used in other towns nearby.

“When you do a major event that brings people from outside the region, that’s where it’s a massive spin-off for the community.”

Watts thanked Horsham Rural City Council, club volunteers and other community groups for helping to stage the event. “We’re very grateful for all the volunteers who came along and helped. By Monday night the venue was pretty much spotless again,” he said.

“A big thank you to the council for giving us the opportunity to run it here in Horsham and helping us run it.

“It makes it a lot easier when you have the council’s support for events, and we’re rapt with the support they gave us. 

“We had Mayor Robyn Gulline out and she waved the chequered flag in one of the races.

“Taylors Lake Football Netball Club came out because one of our vendors pulled out at the last minute, so they came and ran a barbecue and raised some money for their club too.

“It lived up to the old saying – it’s awesome in Horsham.”

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