It was supposed to be all about the professionals, but a five-year-old Williams Lake motocross rider quickly stole the spotlight in Armstrong at the Future West Arenacross opening weekend.
Clad in his riding gear and seated commandingly atop his Yamaha PW50, Mason Colgate was invited to ride during the series’ opening ceremony on Oct. 24 during the pro rider introduction, and to ride alongside the likes of Nova Scotia’s Ryan Lockhart — a veteran of the sport and one of the top riders in the country.
“He was the youngest rider there and he went completely viral,” said Mason’s mom, Susan Colgate. “He’s all over the Internet.”
After spectators at the event quickly fell in love with the young motocross rider, photos began to pop up on multiple motocross racing websites from around the country.
“He absolutely loved it,” Susan said. “All he wanted to do was ride his bike. I couldn’t believe how much riding he did. He was tired, but he didn’t care.”
It was also Mason’s first competitive weekend of racing. He competed in the 50cc and open 50cc classes during the event.
“He even did an extra lap on one of his races and the crowd stood up and cheered him on,” she said. “He was the crowd favourite, by far.”
Mason will be racing again this weekend in Cloverdale during rounds three and four of the Future West Arenacross Series, and Lockhart has once again agreed to take the young rider under his wing.
During rounds one and two in Armstrong four other Williams Lake motocross riders also competed including pro rider Brock Hoyer, plus Thomas Kaiser, Marcus Deausy and Carson King.
After two rounds Hoyer sits in fourth place in the Pro Open Division and seventh in the Pro AM Lites.
Kaiser is fifth in the 65cc division and 14th in the 85cc seven- to 11-year-old class.
Deausy, also in the 85 cc seven to 11 division, is second and fifth in the Supermini class.
King, meanwhile, is fourth in the Open Junior B Division.