A time for change
The boys then progressed to balance bikes, and wherever mother Emma took George in the pram, Harry would follow at speed on his balance bike. The balance bikes were great as they would always keep the boys busy in Scotland while we would wait for their Dad Dan and Uncle Ben.
At just over two years of age, both boys could ride a 12.5 Oset. The electric bikes were an excellent introduction to trials as they are lightweight and great fun, and with no noise and no maintenance, they provided hours of entertainment. The boys then started competing at four years old in the Oset cups and with their local club Yeadon Guiseley. As a family, they were very fortunate to have such a great club on their doorstep with conducted trials which were made harder by Junior Secretary at the time Paul Whittam. The trials were every week, which certainly helped the boys to improve their skills. The Club, and indeed the Yorkshire centre, hold really good testing trials most weekends and the Yorkshire centre is most definitely the place to be if you are a trials rider, such is the standard of riding and competition.
Aged seven, both boys started to compete in the ACU British Youth Championship on their Oset bikes. Team Hemingway travelled all over the UK in ‘Hotel’ caravan, usually tying in the family holidays as a part of the trip. Scotland, Devon and the Scarborough two-day trial were usually the venues, with Scarborough being a favourite as they got to spend a whole weekend with their pals Henry and Freddie Stephenson; they would return home with multiple midge bites! At this point Dan was still competing in trials including the Scottish Six Days and the Scott but was mostly focused on Extreme Enduro, travelling all over the world in events such as The Roof of Africa, Romanians, Sea to Sky, and Dan’s favourite ultimate test of man and machine, the Erzberg Rodeo. These events came at a high price though, with lots of injuries causing a huge disruption in the family’s lives. Although it didn’t cost anything to do the Enduros, with Dan being self-employed and being injured most of the year it wasn’t good.
Some of the Enduros clashed with Youth Championships, and with both boys keen to ride, Emma couldn’t look after both. In 2016, after doing three two-mile laps of the hazards at the Cogden Hall Youth Championship on crutches minding for Harry, it was decided that Dan would retire from Extreme Enduro. From then on they have travelled together as a family, usually with Emma minding for George and Dan minding and catching for Harry.