Michael Brown
‘Where did Michael Brown disappear from the trials scene?’ is a constant question I am asked. Until the latter end of 2019, he had spent close-on the last 20 years of his life living, breathing and riding motorcycle trials. Taking a year out to marry his wife Sammyjo on the 16th June 2018, both their lives then made a sudden change of location from Scarborough in the UK to embrace an adventure into the USA; it was time for ‘Viva Las Vegas’!
Michael Brown was a very successful ACU Youth British Championship career yielded wins in all four classes from the youngest D Class right through to the A Class. Riding Beta machinery, he moved into the adults. Success continued with the 2007 European and FIM Junior World Championship with the Top Trial Team in Italy.
He progressed into what we now call the TrialGP World Championship riding Sherco and then Gas Gas as he moved into the top ten riders in the world.
His adult successes, including the 2012 Scott Trial victory and British Championship title in 2013, have always been well documented in Trial Magazine. I have enjoyed many happy times travelling around the world with Michael. He taught me the ropes on world-wide travel arrangements.
I was with him in Japan in 2015 when his world championship career virtually came to a painful end when he broke his knee cap four places. He recovered from this injury to finish second in both the SSDT and Scott Trials in 2016. In his heart, he knew it was time to move on from a full-time trials career.
Michael, where did the approach come from over the move to the USA?
I received a phone call from my good friend Jack Challoner in September 2017 to ask if I would be interested in going to Montreal in Canada to do a ‘showcase’ with him for a show that could potentially be set in a casino in Las Vegas. Of course, I jumped at the chance, and I went with Jack and our partners for three weeks of rehearsals, followed by the showcase at the end of the trip. It was a great success and the start of our journey with Cirque du Soleil.
At this point, what was your plan for the future?
After the trip to Canada, I wasn’t sure what would happen regarding the show as these things always take a lot of time to organise, so I went home and carried on with normal life. I had stopped riding trials professionally by this time, and I only rode for fun in selected events.
John Shirt asked me if I would be the team manager of a youth team he was putting together. It was great to do something a little bit different, and I enjoyed going to the events to support the youth riders.
In June 2018, I got married to Sammyjo in Ibiza, and it was, hands down, the best day of my life. Not many people knew then, but I had been in contact with Cirque du Soleil when I was in Ibiza about relocating to Las Vegas to be in a new stunt show called RUN. After we returned home, I was offered a contract with them, so we had a big decision to make.
Joining a circus – really?
Sounds really crazy, doesn’t it? My contract was to ride an electric trials machine in the ‘RUN’ show that would be set in the theatre in the Luxor Hotel and Casino on the Vegas Strip along with Jack Challoner. We would do two shows per night, five nights a week for 48 weeks of the year. Both mine and Jack’s initial contract was until the end of 2020.
What were your initial thoughts on a move to the USA?
When Sammyjo and I first talked about a move to the USA we didn’t really know much about Las Vegas. I have been to a few World Trial events in the USA but never to Vegas. We decided to take a trip over for a week to see what it was all about. It was clear straight away that it would suit us both down to the ground, and the decision was made. Sammyjo only had one rule about the move, and that was that we would take our three dogs with us or she wasn’t going!
When did you move to America?
Jack and I went to Cirque du Soleil’s headquarters in Canada mid-May 2019 for five weeks of training before moving to Vegas at the start of July. Sammyjo and the dogs joined me in Vegas then. We found a house to rent 15 minutes away from the Vegas strip that Sammyjo and I, Jack and some of the other FMX riders could live in. We made some great friends during the show that I’m sure we will stay in contact with. They were fantastic times.
“In June 2018, I got married to Sammyjo in Ibiza, and it was, hands down, the best day of my life. Not many people knew then, but I had been in contact with Cirque du Soleil when
I was in Ibiza about relocating to Las Vegas to be in a new stunt show called RUN.”
Did you have to train for the show?
Yes, we did a lot of training. We started training in Canada and carried on when we arrived in Vegas. Our rehearsal days were 12-hour days in the beginning as well as physical fitness classes.
How long did each show last?
Each show was 75 minutes long and separated into different scenes. We were integrated into most of the scenes as well as having our own scene near the end of the show. It involved both Trials and FMX.
You used Electric Motion trials motorcycles?
Yes, we used the 2019 Electric Motion trials machines. It was a significant change for both Jack and me initially as we had never ridden electric motorcycles. There were
definitely some funny moments in rehearsals and quite a few crashes! The Electric Motion was good but very different from what we were used to. Just before we left the show, we received the New EPURE Electric Motion model, which was much improved. I am sure the electric machines will only improve and a lot more people will be riding them in events in the near future as they are so good.
Alexz Wigg joined you just before Christmas 2019?
We were asked to find another rider for the show in case of injury or illness. We instantly put Alexz Wigg’s name forward, and within a few weeks, he joined us, which was great as I have grown up riding with him and we have become good friends. His girlfriend Charlie came out for a few weeks at Christmas, which was great and made the festive period such good fun for us all.
When did you realise that the show was in trouble?
After a couple of months of shows starting we knew that ticket sales weren’t going as planned. We were in the process of starting a revamp of the show in the new year; however, this never got started as the agreement between Cirque du Soleil and MGM resorts was terminated at the start of March. It was a massive shock to everyone involved, and it was a case of
‘back to reality’ pretty quickly! Our last show was on 8th March. Little did we know it then but things were to get worse very quickly with the coronavirus. The US was stopping international travel so Sammyjo, Jack and
Alexz all returned to the UK as fast as possible. With pet travel also banned, I stayed in the USA until I was able to fly back with the dogs on 5th April.
Tell us about the best times while living in Las Vegas.
We had some fantastic times in Las Vegas, and we don’t regret our decision to go over and live there. I am sure we would have stayed a lot longer if we’d had the chance. The weather, of course, was a lot warmer than the UK. We had some great times with friends and family that visited us and came to see the show.
We visited Los Angeles and many other places when we had free time. We met some great people in the show, and they quickly became life-long friends. It’s a shame it ended as soon as it did, but that’s the nature of the business. I am sure we will return to Vegas as tourists soon.
What did you miss the most about the UK?
A good-old bacon sandwich! It was difficult not seeing friends and family for such long periods of time. We adapted quite quickly to the different lifestyle and the weather; Sammyjo especially enjoyed the sun, as did the dogs.
What does the future hold for Michael Brown now back in the UK?
When I learnt about the show closing, I didn’t have a clue about what I was going to do. On return to the UK, I decided to start a new business dealing in Trials and Enduro machines and parts in Scarborough. As this goes to print, we are just getting started, so watch this space.