New Zealand has a long and proud association with what is arguably the world’s most important motocross event – the Motocross of Nations – and it started almost by accident.

When New Zealand enduro riders travelled to Holland for the International Six Days Enduro in 1984, it was hastily agreed they’d form a team to enter the Motocross of Nations.

In those days the event was the forerunner to what would in 1985 become the Motocross des Nations (later renamed Motocross of Nations) – but back in 1984 it was still actually three separate meetings, the Coup des Nations for 125cc bikes, the Trophee Des Nations for 250cc bikes and the Motocross Des Nations or 500cc bikes.

Aucklander Tony Cooksley was one of the Kiwi riders giving New Zealand its Motocross des Nations debut that year and he explains.

“We were all just enduro guys at the time, over there for the International Six Days Enduro in Holland but we did okay to be competitive.”

The Kiwi team at Varberg, in Sweden, that year was Grant Oliver, Rob Snep and Darryl August. Cooksley was injured.

The team finished a long way down the standings.

In 1987, Cooksley again represented New Zealand at the Motocross des Nations, this time staged at Unadilla in the United States. Cooksley and his team-mates, brothers Darryll and Shayne King, struggled in the sloppy mud and failed to record enough finishes to register but the international experience was building up for the Kiwis.

The following year, 1988, New Zealand (with the King brothers and Darryl Atkins) finished 17th at Villars Ecot, in France.

At last New Zealand was on the scoreboard.

New Zealand did not enter a team in 1989 or 1990 but, in 1991, Cooksley was again called into national service.

The three-man Kiwi Motocross des Nations team for the Dutch track at Valkenwaard that year consisted Cooksley (500), Troy McAsey (250) and Atkins (125). They finished 20th.

The year 1992 presented the Kiwis with their best chance to shine, the event being staged that year at Manjimup, near Perth, in Western Australia. It was just a short hop across the Tasman. The King brothers again teamed with Atkins, this time finishing a creditable 10th.

In Austria in 1993, at a place called Schwanenstadt, the same Kiwi trio finished fifth.

American stars Jeremy McGrath, Mike Kiedrowski and Jeff Emig won it that year, ahead of the Belgians, Marnicq Bervoets, Stefan Everts and Werner De Wit.

It was the first year the Kiwi trio, as individuals, had spent the season based in Europe, contesting the motocross world championships, and that experience was obviously starting to shine through.

New Zealand has been on the MXoN podium on three memorable occasions in recent times – at Foxhills, in England, in 1998 (Darryll King, Shayne King, Josh Coppins), at Namur, in Belgium, in 2001 (Daryl Hurley, Josh Coppins, Shayne King) and at Matterley Basin, in England, in 2006 (Josh Coppins, Cody Cooper, Ben Townley). (Pictured above is the podium at Matterley Basin  in 2006, when BikesportNZ.com staff were there to share the moment).

With Kiwi riders taking their careers overseas in increasing numbers, and New Zealanders lining up regularly at GP or even AMA events, the likelihood of New Zealand winning the Motocross des Nations has gone from far-fetched dream to achievable reality.

That is also perhaps the case in Belgium in just a few weeks’ time with former GP hero and just-crowned Australian MX1 champion Josh Coppins, former New Zealand and Australian champion Cody Cooper and Kiwi domestic frontrunner and just-crowned Australian under-19 champion Kayne Lamont flying the Kiwi flag.

© Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com