Huntly’s Jackson Slater claimed two national titles, while Mia Manston won the event’s first dedicated girls’ class at the 2026 New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals in Tokoroa.
Nearly 200 young riders lined up at Amisfield MX Track on October 3–4, with eight classes contesting five races each across the two-day championship.
Hosted by the South Waikato Motorcycle Club and sponsored by Craig Stevens Motorcycles, the event brought together riders aged four to 11 on machinery ranging from 50cc to 140cc. Saturday afternoon rain added another challenge to a circuit featuring technical sections, jumps and large tabletops.
Eight-year-old Slater was among the weekend’s standouts, winning nine of his 10 races to secure both the 7–8 years’ 65cc and MX50 titles.
He swept all five races in the 65cc class and recovered from third in his opening MX50 race to win the remaining four.
“I hit one jump too fast yesterday and nearly hit the moon,” Slater said. “That gave me a bit of a fright, and I finished third in that race.”
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The results followed an intensive build-up.
“I’ve been doing a lot of training leading up to this,” he said. “I’ve been riding and training every day.”
Slater already has ambitions to race in America, citing fellow Kiwi Cole Davies as his inspiration.
“He is an inspiration for me, and if he can do it, I can do it.”
Bush claims first national crown
Greenhithe’s Royce Bush secured his first national title in the premier 9–11 years’ 65cc class, with Wairoa’s Dante McConnell and Turangi’s Anand Rothe keeping the pressure on throughout the weekend.
“The competition was tough,” Bush said. “Heaps of them were good friends, but still these riders, such as Anand and Dante, made it hard.”
Bush enjoyed the challenge of the Amisfield circuit, particularly its bigger jumps, and credited the team effort behind his title-winning weekend.
Elsewhere, Morrinsville’s Lukas Baker took the Intro MX50 crown ahead of Gisborne’s Mac Speirs. Baker won four races, with a single second-place finish interrupting his run.
North Harbour’s Karter Tupaea completed a clean sweep in the Trail 7–9 years’ class, winning all five races to finish ahead of Helensville’s Jett Schmidt.
Stratford’s six-year-old Oakley McGechan had a much tighter path to the Intro Trail 50 title. With less than 18 months of racing experience, he recorded finishes of 1–1–3–1–3 to beat Whakatane’s Cooper Whyte by just two points.
Following advice from his father, McGechan gave up a couple of positions while leading the final race to ensure he secured the championship.
Fellow Stratford rider Jack Bunn also enjoyed a successful weekend, winning all three of Saturday’s races before adding two second places on Sunday. He finished five points clear of Taupo’s Brax Lee.
Manston wins inaugural girls’ title
Milton’s Mia Manston won the Mini Girls title. It was a historic result: this was the first time an exclusively girls’ class had been included at the New Zealand Mini Motocross Nationals.
The nine-year-old claimed three wins from five starts in Mini Girls, with a 3–1–1–3–1 scorecard. She also finished ninth in the mixed 9–11 years’ 65cc class, the highest-placed girl.
“I loved the dirt … it’s the best track,” Manston said. “It was tacky and grippy and reminded me a little of home.”
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.”
Brolly said the tricky conditions tested the riders, with rain arriving on Saturday afternoon. “It only served to keep the dust down.”
With nearly 200 young riders entered, the weekend’s close racing underlined the strength of New Zealand motocross at grassroots level.
The next generation has plenty of Kiwi examples to follow, including 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; West Auckland’s Hamish Harwood; Huntly’s Josiah Natzke; Waitoki’s Cole Davies; and Tauranga riders Ben Townley and Brodie Connolly.
The depth of talent on display in Tokoroa suggests New Zealand’s mini motocross ranks will continue to provide a pathway for riders with national and international ambitions.
Source: Andy McGechan. Photos: MNZ/Derek Morrison.
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