It was actually this weekend that the greatest show on turf was set to happen again for the 61st consecutive year … but then the long tentacles of the Covid-19 pandemic reached out and strangled it.
The historic annual New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville celebrated its 60th edition last year and what a party that was … but the 61st running of the great event, actually set for today and tomorrow, January 29 and 30, was snuffed out by a worldwide virus.
Instead of the Manawatu/Tararua region fizzing with motocross activity at Woodville this weekend, and BikesportNZ.com soaking it all in and being a part of that buzz, we will instead sit back and reflect on what it has all meant to us over the years.
From a fairy-tale beginning in the 1960s, the event has flourished and matured and, remarkably, it lists current, former and future world champions among its glittering lists of alumni. Woodville, the small farming service town that guards the gateway between Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay, has hosted some of the world’s biggest names in the sport.
Woodville back in its infancy, before the world had been colourised. Photo supplied from the Tim Gibbes archives.
Held at the same grassy farmland venue every year since 1961, it has grown now to become the country’s largest and most popular off-road motorcycle event.
Sadly, this year’s cancellation due to the pandemic means all we can do is reflect on what an iconic event it is and, fingers crossed, we’ll be back at Woodville for a resurrection this time next year.
The Woodville motocross all began when a no-nonsense Australian named Tim Gibbes arrived in the Manawatu to make a home with his wife, local woman Joan Cleghorn. Gibbes was, at that stage, near the end of an eight-year professional career, racing the 250cc and 500cc motocross world championship events all over Europe and in the United States.
Back home in New Zealand between the European motocross events, jet-setting riding buddies Gibbes and Ken Cleghorn (Tim’s brother-in-law) found it difficult to settle.
The sport of motocross in New Zealand, or scrambling as it was then known, was little more than a bunch of leather-jacketed riders on virtual street bikes. It had little or no public profile.
Long-time event commentator Neil Ritchie and Woodville motocross founder Tim Gibbes engage in a little reminiscing at an earlier Woodville MX event. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Never content to sit still for long, the pair had soon hatched a plan to stage an international-style motocross event in New Zealand, something modelled along the lines of the big European Grand Prix events they’d enjoyed so much. Gibbes even offered “one of the flashier” trophies he’d won in America to be used as the Woodville trophy.
Staged on the Woodville farmland owned by Cleghorn’s uncle (Arthur), Gibbes and Cleghorn fought handlebar to handlebar at that inaugural event in December 1961, Cleghorn eventually taking away Gibbes’ silverware. Gibbes took his revenge to win it back the following year, actually just a month later, in January 1962.
In 1963, a group of just 53 riders entertained a crowd of around 3000, Taranaki’s Malcolm Campbell winning the day, but Gibbes took his trophy back again in 1964.
The Woodville honour roll over the years reads like a who’s who of leading New Zealand motocross talent and also features some of the best riders of the day from Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Sweden, England, Wales, Australia and the United States.
Multi-time Woodville MX GP winner Shayne King with his eldest son Curtis, at Woodville in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
Even legendary British two-time former world champions Jeff Smith and Dave Bickers raced at Woodville. Smith, 500cc motocross world champion in 1964 and 65, beat Bickers, 250cc world champion in 1960 and 61, to the Woodville trophy in 1970.
The pair tied for the Gold Leaf Series Trophy, of which the Woodville event was one round, and proceeded to cut the enormous silver cup in half at the prizegiving. Not even they had won half a trophy before.
From those humble beginnings in late 1961, the Woodville motocross has developed magnificently over the years. It now typically attracts hundreds of competitors and spectators number by the thousands, the programme has expanded to boast more than 70 races and it easily fills two days.
Woodville now stands alone as the biggest and best motocross in New Zealand, perhaps second in significance only to the nationals, although last year, for the first time ever, the Woodville event was also recognised as round one of the nationals.
Despite his obviously pivotal role in making the Woodville motocross what it is today, Gibbes is also quick to share the kudos.
The man who now calls Palmerston North his home, points out that he’s had a ton of help over the years from Manawatu Orion Motorcycle Club members, local businesses, the farmland’s various owners and, of course, his wife Joan.
Gibbes stopped competing at the age of 60 and has since been honoured with a John Britten Innovation and Service to the Industry Award, a Motorsport NZ Distinguished Service Award and in 2016 he was inducted into the Motorcycling New Zealand Hall of Fame.
As riders, fans, sponsors and supporters can probably imagine, it was a tough decision for the host Manawatu Orion Motorcycle Club to make to cancel this year’s event, especially seeing as the Woodville MXGP had been running for 60 years and throughout all that time been a highlighted date on the racing calendar.
However, considering the current COVID-19 pandemic climate and the massive financial risk, the club’s committee decided it was best to cancel the event for 2022.
Manawatu’s Paul Whibley, on his way to winning the river race at Woodville in 2008. Photo by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ.com
“We were absolutely gutted that we have had to cancel the event,” said club president and event organiser Brad Ritchie.
“It all comes about because of the uncertainness of the world we now live in. A big factor for us is that this should again be an outstanding blockbuster event and to push on under the current constraints would take some of the shine away from what has historically been such an iconic event.
“Hopefully next year it will be all up and running again. We can’t thank the sponsors enough for the fact they continue to stand beside us.”
Listen here (below) to our interview with Tim Gibbes, the founder of the Woodville MX.
The 88-year-old shares his memories with BikesportNZ.com about the foundation of the New Zealand Motocross Grand Prix at Woodville.
© Words and colour photos by Andy McGechan, BikesportNZ
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