Sports | DrumhellerMail

Vintage Motocross take on DORVA track

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If BSA, Can-Am, and Husqvarna are in your motocross vocabulary, you may have been lucky enough to take in a fun day of motocross at DORVA.

Vintage MX Alberta was on the track at the local motocross club for a special moto on Sunday, July 14, where racers with dual shocks and blue two-stroke exhaust dominated the field.

Mitch Brown, secretary for Vintage MX Alberta said the club has about 60 active members and stage about nine races a year across the province. Earlier this week they were slated to race in Westlock but was cancelled due to the weather. They called up DORVA who were able to accommodate the racers.

Brown says the membership is made up of competitive bikers who race to win, but at the same time have a lot of fun.

“I guess you could call it competitive but non-competitive, it’s not serious racing,” chuckles Brown.

What makes the club special is the bikes they bring to the track. The vintage class is typically bikes built earlier than 1974, that have twin or mono-shock suspensions, the EVO class is for bikes generally 1981 and older, and the GP class is for bikes that are up to 1990 and allows disc brakes and water cooled engines.

“We are all ages, all skills, but our motorcycles are all 1990 and prior,” he explains, adding nostalgia plays a part in the charm.

“A lot of guys get to be a certain age and they realize they weren’t part of motorcycle racing. They fell out of bikes while they were in family time.”

He adds it is a cheap alternative to auto racing because you can get into a race ready bike often for less than $3,000.

There was a legend on the track at the race. Steen Hansen is a pioneer of the sport. At 82 he has been racing for almost seven decades and brought Husqvarna to Canada. In 2014 he, along with his wife Marion were inducted into the Canadian Motorcycle Hall of Fame. There is only a hand full of competitive riders of his age in the world.

This year Hansen is sporting 82 on his number plate, and Brown jokes that every year they have to change his number on his membership to match his age.

Local riders Phil Thompson and James Turner were also on the track with the club on Sunday.

Local softballer makes Team Alberta’s final cut

A Drumheller softball player will be representing Team Alberta in the Western Canada Summer Games this August.

Charli Calon will play outfield and shortstop for the Under 16 Team Alberta in Swift Current from August 8 to 13. She made it through tryouts which began with over 130 players down to 14.

“When I first got the call I was pretty excited to have made such a high level team that 130-plus girls tried out for. I’m really excited to receive my Team Alberta gear and I’m nervous to play, just because this is a pretty big deal to me,” she said. “I want to do well.”

Calon, who lives in Drumheller but plays for a team in Calgary where she is primarily a pitcher, said the last tryout was delayed due to poor weather but a scrimmage was held in near-freezing conditions against an U19 team in Edmonton.

Her family is proud to have her represent the province, her mother Kelsey says.

“She didn’t have anyone else she knew trying out so it was a nerve wracking experience for her, but she persevered and rose to the occasion when it mattered most.”

The Western Canada Summer Games will be held August 8 to 13 in Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

High school bull rider wins international championship

A young bull rider took on his first international competition and brought home a buckle.

Matt Howard entered the Silver State International Rodeo. This is the final High School competition and he, along with his travel buddy Dixon Tattrie from Canada, went down to Winnimucca Nevada for the event June 29 to July 6.

Matt was in a field of 13 bull riders. He scored 70 on each of his two clean rides to win the competition.

“There were some pretty good riders,” he tells the Mail.

While he was one of the only Canadian riders, and he won the premier event, Howard said the competition was friendly.

“It was pretty cool. All the Americans were pretty friendly,” he said.

For his efforts, he won a buckle and a saddle. He is sponsored by Bass Pro Shop and Total Control Security. He is also grateful to his father for getting him to the competition.

Next week he is heading to Millarville, and he is heading to the Canadian Finals for high school rodeo at the end of the month in Merritt B.C.

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