Ray Owen A powerful legacy
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I first met Ray at the second event at Beaudesert in 2009. Good fortune had it that my bike was chosen as Bike of the Show and when presenting me the trophy, Ray pointed to the small transparent orb nested in the perpetual trophy. He told me it contained a gold ingot which he had himself fossicked many, many years ago. From that day I looked on Ray as an inspiration. He was very famous but easy to talk to, had a cheeky smile and every year at the bike show he would be surrounded by his family. Ray and Pat’s family have come to every event and they did again this year even in Ray’s absence. A couple of his old race bikes were on display, with a framed photo of Ray (amongst his many race trophies) on one of the bikes. Two of Ray’s trophies were also handed out to winners who are given the privilege to set it on the mantel piece at home until the 2019 event. Wife Pat and all the kids and grandkids all arrived wearing T-shirts which they’d had especially printed with ‘#27 Ray Owen’ (his old race number). Adding to the magic, I counted exactly 27 of them as they all lined up for a group photo just before the presentation.
There was a T-shirt displayed beside the presentation stage with one of my photos printed on the front – one of my fondest memories of Ray. I was asked by the family to take a shot of Ray and his Manx Norton after the 2015 bike show. They wanted to send it to the UK Norton Club. While standing beside the Manx, I thought I could make the shot more exciting if he hopped on board. When I asked the family said “No, Ray’s hips are shot,” but Ray quickly interrupted “Yes I can!” and he did. This says a lot about the man, always rising to a challenge. I crouched down and got Ray to lie flat on the tank, hand on twist grip and looking down the barrel of the camera with that cheeky smile of his and the result (in my mind) was priceless. At the conclusion of the trophy presentation, Gary Stephens announced that Pat had given permission for the event hosts (HMCCQ Mt Tamborine area) to continue using Ray’s name for the event. The perpetual trophy (with Ray’s ingot) will thus continue to have the names of the winners of Bike of the Show added each year. So while Ray is not with us physically any more, his legacy lives on, and I’m sure he was looking down with pride on the magical event that will continue to carry his name. The memory of this day will stay with me forever.