Nine-year-old Joel Doran, 15-year-old Mark French and 16-yearold Derek Dunlop have been training and travelling for five months around the countryside starting at Goondiwindi, Moree, Tamworth, Glenn Innes and finishing at Inverell.

The boys are members of the Moree Motorcycle Club, which is the closest club to Lightning Ridge.

They had a great time meeting riders and making friends from all over as well as training hard to improve their skills to compete.

Mark competed in the junior 125cc 13 to 16 years A/B grade and came first overall riding a YZ F250cc 4st.

Derek raced in the Senior U200cc Clubman Lite and was placed second overall riding a KTM 125cc 2st.

Joel raced in the junior 7 to 9 years 65cc A/B grade and came 6th overall, riding a KX 65cc.

In Goondiwindi Mark's bike had some frightening death wobbles up the straight, but they fixed that problem straight away.

Tamworth saw Mark running alongside his own bike, instead of on it at one stage, but he still placed in top position.

Derek performed some circle work in the dust on the last lap in second position, but gained control of his bike to maintain second in Glen Innes.

Inverell saw Derek vertical with his boots to the sky while hands were on the bars.

Joel improved immensely over the series, and he did well not to taste the dirt as much as the bigger boys.

Joel still competed in the last round feeling ill all day.

To compete continuously riders need to battle to overcome numerous obstacles in Motocross, including mechanical and accidental, through to flat tyres, snapped, cracked and smashed parts.

Mark's father Michael, and Derek's father Brad kept all the motorbikes in top mechanical running condition.

Brad's knowledge on bikes has been invaluable through out the series.

Motocross has many risks of injuries that can and do occur in this physically, mentally demanding sport.

Motocross is the second most physical sport, along with the cost to finance this sport is astronomical.

Huge congratulations to Joel, Mark and Derek for skilfully making it through the series sporting no major injuries.

To achieve top placings in their first time racing in a motocross competition series is fantastic.