Forbes riders' podium finish at Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships

Seven Forbes Autosports Club members and their families travelled to Brisbane for the much-anticipated titles last weekend - they've been postponed no less than four times due to COVID-19 and flooding.

Hugh and Holly were two of the Forbes riders to make the trip north, along with Michael Price, Hayden Duggan, Lenny Duggan, Lochie Duggan and Roy Duggan.

Forbes Autosports Club's Hayley Hope-Hodgetts said all club members rode extremely well, with most qualifying for the finals in their respective races and proving competitive.

"All our members train hard to get to the level needed, as the racing at these events is off the charts," Hayley said.

Riders compete across two days of qualifying heats to earn a place in the top 12 for the final, so it's a real achievement for so many local riders to have made it into the finals with the top riders from across the country.

Hugh, who is 12, took out first in the Australian 85cc modified 9 to Under 12 class, and Hayley was runner up in the 150(2St) 250(4st) Girls Class.

All the club's riders have been working hard in preparation across a couple of years with limited actual race opportunities, firstly due to COVID-19 lockdowns but more recently because of the weather conditions.

"A lot of meetings have been rained out but we all train in our own way - we treat it as any other sport, Hughie trains twice a week on our track at home," Hayley said.

Hugh has been riding since he was two and hit the track to race when he was four. He'd claimed his first State title before the pandemic impacted competition.

Holly, 13, began racing aged six but she's also a dancer and has actually been on a break from motorbike racing until recently.

The girls' class she won is a new one for the championships, introduced to encourage women to continue to progress in the sport from the junior ranks.

All the club's riders have been taking every opportunity to race where they can, whether that's at home, at our Daroobalgie track, in Cowra or Condobolin.

The local club's next competitive weekend is in September, when they'll host dirt track and motocross, but our riders continue their hard work.

Their sights are now set on the Australian long track titles.