Motocross champions of the past, present and future come out to play near Te Awamutu this weekend.

The venue at Phil and Julia Empson's property, Tiki Road, Kihikihi, Te Awamutu, will host the 2013 New Zealand Veterans' and Women's Motocross Championships this Saturday and Sunday with the entry list reading like a who's who and who-used-to-be-who of the sport.

Sponsored by The Honda Shop, the two-day annual event features many riders who, despite their veteran status, still rate among the sport's elite. The female side of the sport that shares the programme is more a hotbed for rising stars and many of these women are more than capable of humbling the men and boys at mixed events too.

Former Grand Prix riders such as New Plymouth's 1996 500cc world champion Shayne King and his elder brother, two-time former world No.2 Darryll King, of Hamilton, and former veterans' world champion Tony Cooksley, of Auckland, will no doubt be among the favourites to win this Saturday and Sunday.

Taranaki's former national 500cc champion Mitch Rowe, Blenheim's Moston Wadsworth, Whakatane's Darren Capill and Taupo trio Geoffrey Hall, Rodney Tomblin and Bevan Weal should also feature.

Rangiora's Kimberley Murphy was 17-29 years' women's champion last season and heavily favoured to win again this time around, although she will have her work cut out repelling riders such as Bombay's Courtney Lindsay, Opunake's Taylar Rampton, Taihape's Sarah Elwin, Taranaki's Mikayla Rowe and Otorohanga's Nikita Mudford.

Other title contenders include Pukekohe’s Craig Brown, Auckland's Richard Furze, Ngatea's Mark Temple, Te Awamutu’s Bruce McDougall, Hamilton's Dwayne Rameka, Taupo's Katrina Lee, Taranaki’s Olivia Cottam and Tauranga’s evergreen Julie Managh.

Credit: Words and photo by Andy McGechan, www.BikesportNZ.com