A sensational weekend of racing for the 2026 New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals reveals a hotbed of motocross talent emerging in New Zealand.
Held on the hallowed grounds of Amisfield MX track, Tokoroa, the South Waikato Motorcycle Club put on a stellar event, with all eight classes competing in five motos over the two-day championship (October 3-4, 2026).
Royce Bush, of Greenhithe, on his way to winning the premier MX65 9-11 years class at the 2026 New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals held at the Craig Stevens Motorcycles Track and run by South Waikato Motorcycle Club in Tokoroa, South Waikato, New Zealand, October 3-4, 2026. Photo: MNZ/Derek Morrison
Run by the South Waikato Motorcycle Club and sponsored by Craig Stevens Motorcycles, the 2026 New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals produced the highest calibre of racing and the large number of spectators in attendance certainly appreciated the entertainment factor.
Riders aged between 4-11 years – and riding bikes with engine capacities anywhere between 50cc and 140cc – battled in some high-intensity races on a track littered with jumps, technical sections and large tabletops. There is little doubt that some of the riders who featured at the weekend will go on to carve national or even international careers.
New Zealand’s winingest junior motocross rider ever Reece Sutherland with his son Alex, of GM Paintworx Racing, at the 2026 New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals. Photo: MNZ/Derek Morrison
There was plenty of inspiration on hand at the weekend, with the pit zone bristling with a handful of former superstars of the sport – men such as Tokoroa’s own Reece Sutherland – all now the proud parents of today’s rising stars in mini motocross, considered a nursery ground for those starting in motocross.
One of those riders perhaps with a big future is Huntly’s Jackson Slater, who dominated two classes at the weekend – the 7-8 years’ 65cc class and the MX50 class as well – and, in total, he won nine of the 10 races he had entered.
“I’ve been doing a lot of training leading up to this,” said the eight-year-old afterwards. “I’ve been riding and training every day.”
Slater said he dreamed of going on to race in the USA.
“I’d love to race in America, like (fellow Kiwi and now US champion) Cole Davies,” Slater smiled. “He is an inspiration for me, and if he can do it, I can do it.”
However, in his first MX50 moto, things nearly didn’t go to plan.
“I hit one jump too fast yesterday and nearly hit the moon,” he laughs. “That gave me a bit of a fright, and I finished third in that race.”
For the record, Slater was impressive in the 7-8 years’ 65cc class, winning all five races and went 3-1-1-1-1 in his MX50 class races.
Jackson Slater, of Huntly, here with family and his coach Rhys Carter, double classed and won both the MX50 6-8 Years and MX65 7-8 Years titles at the 2026 New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals. Photo: MNZ/Derek Morrison
Winner of the premier 9-11 years’ 65cc class was Royce Bush, from Greenhithe, on Auckland’s North Shore, closely challenged throughout by Wairoa’s Dante McConnell and Turangi’s Anand Rothe.
Bush said he was thrilled to win his first national title.
“The competition was tough. Heaps of them (my rivals) were good friends, but still these riders, such as Anand and Dante, made it hard,” he said afterwards. “I loved the track. I liked the big jumps. I’m clearing them all now, apart from No.2.”
Bush said there was a large team effort behind him this weekend.
The MX65 9-11 Years class podium celebrates with champagne (sparkling grape juice), from left: Dante McConnell (2nd), Royce Bush (1st) and Anand Rothe (3rd) at the 2026 New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals. Photo: MNZ/Derek Morrison
Another rider to impress was Stratford’s Jack Bunn, who finished unbeaten in his three races on Saturday and settled for two runner-up finishes on Sunday, enough to fend off his main threat, Taupo’s Brax Lee, by a meagre five competition points.
A mostly dominant display from Morrinsville’s Lukas Baker – with just one second-place finish to show for his otherwise glistening performance – gave him the Intro MX50 class title ahead of Gisborne’s Mac Speirs, while Karter Tupaea truly was untouchable in the Trail 7-9 years’ class, the rider from North Harbour, Auckland, winning all five races to edge out Helensville’s Jett Schmidt convincingly.
In a rare display of maturity for one so young, and following advice from his dad, Stratford six-year-old Oakley McGechan relinquished a couple of places while leading in the last race of his debut campaign in the Intro Trail 50 class to ensure that he wrapped up that title.
With less than 18-months of racing, his eventual 1-1-3-1-3 scorecard earned him the crown ahead of arch-rival Cooper Whyte, from Whakatane, by just two points.
The inaugural Mini Girls class podium (from left): Unique Niania (2nd), Mia Manston (1st) and Libby Wind (3rd), with the top 10 finishers at the 2026 New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals. Photo: MNZ/Derek Morrison
Best of the females was Milton’s Mia Manston, who dominated the Mini Girls class with a solid 3-1-1-3-1 scorecard over her five races. It was an historic outcome in many ways because this was also the first time an exclusively-girls class had been included in this event. Manston also finished 9th in the MX65 9-11s – the best of the girls in that mixed class.
The nine-year-old from Milton, north of Balclutha, said she “loved the dirt … it’s the best track. It was tacky and grippy and reminded me a little of home.”
“I’d like to thank mum and dad and my sponsors and supporters for making this possible. Also, thanks to the South Waikato Motorcycle Club that put this event on.”
Meanwhile, host South Waikato Motorcycle Club president Anthony Brolly said, “our crew did a fantastic job keeping up with track maintenance. They couldn’t have done better. The track gave competitors a mixed bag of conditions and the eventual champions certainly earned their titles.”
“This is the future of our sport right here and it was a pleasure to host it,” Brolly added. “It’s tough when you have kids racing too, but I’ve got an amazing wife, Monique, and she’s the one who makes it all possible.”
He said the tricky conditions really did sort the riders out, referring to rain on Saturday afternoon. “It only served to keep the dust down.”
With a large entry list of nearly 200 young riders, the racing was certainly intense at the weekend, showing that the sport is extremely healthy at this grassroots level.
The quality of riding across the classes is a sure sign that we are seeing the next Kiwi international superstars emerging. Many of these young athletes will follow the lead of world-class New Zealand riders such as Otago’s Courtney Duncan, New Plymouth brothers Darryll, Shayne and Damien King, Motueka’s Josh Coppins, Oparau’s James Scott, Mangakino’s Maximus Purvis, Opotiki’s Cody Cooper and West Auckland’s Hamish Harwood, Huntly’s Josiah Natzke, Waitoki’s Cole Davies or Tauranga duo Ben Townley and Brodie Connolly, for example.
The sport of motocross in New Zealand is in a very good place and looks set to continue producing world-level athletes.
Words: Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com
2026 New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals
Hosted by: South Waikato Motorcycle Club
Where: Craig Stevens Motorcycle Track, 53 Moffat Road,Tokoroa.
When: October 3-4, 2026
