ROSCO HOLDEN’S LEGACY
Rosco Holden has dedicated 15 years of his life to attending the Junior Aussie Motocross Titles, and if you count the remarkable stint in Darwin back in 1978 where he clinched 3rd position, it becomes 16 years. Speaking about this journey, Holden reflected, “I guess it’s meant to be the full circle of finality with the event returning to Darwin in 2023. This marks the third time the Australian title has graced the Territory, previously in 1978 and 1992.”
This year marked Holden’s final act of supporting and contributing to all 13 classes with prize money. This remarkable journey began in 2016 in Renmark, South Australia, with a rather memorable trophy mishap. In 2017, Holden took a significant step by announcing a full five-year sponsorship, including the prestigious “Holden On Tight Junior Sportsman Spirit Award”.
During the 2017 media launch, Holden explained the rationale behind this exciting new award, stating, “It’s just something I’ve thought of for a while now. With everything in this modern era being centred on winning, it’s nice to have an award that goes beyond the scope of just accumulating points-based awards. I’ve always been about supporting the kids and this sport. The ‘Holden On Tight Australian Junior Sportsman Spirit Award’ is designed to promote sportsmanship and humility within it.”
This unique award was open to any junior rider aged 6–15, from any class, who demonstrated exceptional sportsmanship or humility during the week. The award, by its very nature, is circumstantial, as you can never predict what act of ‘spirit’ will be shown on any given day.
The previous winners of this prestigious award were as follows:
» 2017: Fletcher Kirkpatrick at Horsham, Victoria.
» 2018: Joint winners Levi Rossi and Jaxon Downing at Penguin, Tasmania.
» 2019: Taj Gow-Smith at Gillman, South Australia.
» 2022: Blake Bohannon at Rockhampton, Queensland.
At the conclusion of the 2023 Acacia Hills, Darwin KTM AJMXC, which was exceptionally organised by the Motorcycle Association Northern Territory (MANT) and Acacia Hills Motorcycle Association (AHMA), Beau Skillington emerged as the deserving winner of the last Holden On Tight Junior Sportsman Award. Beau exhibited outstanding sportsmanship when he stopped to lift Cooper Ford’s 125cc bike off him after he was trapped for more than 20 seconds. Fortunately, Cooper was uninjured and able to continue racing.
Holden expressed his deep satisfaction with the award and the lifelong friendships he has forged through these experiences. He emphasised the potential of these young riders to become future champions, much like the Lawrence Brothers, who have made their mark on the sport.