New Zealand has a reputation for its epic scenery,
but s**t gets real as soon as you add some
immaculate dirt jumps to that view. The postcard
backdrop of sprawling valleys, hillsides peppered
with sheep and rugged mountainsides cloaked in
native bush add an extra spice to this already perfect
recipe. Simply put, Farm Jam is a paradise for riders,
photographers and spectators.
On top of that, travelling to this far-flung corner of
the world is part of the whole attraction for athletes.
The fact that FMX star Fred Kyrillos would spend 22
hours flying from Brazil to NZ is testament to just
how much attention the Farm Jam is now gaining
on a global scale. For the record, this year’s event
attracted riders from 10 countries, including the UK,
Brazil, the States, Argentina, Australia, Canada and
France. Huge.
The common bond of bikes
Regardless of whether you ride moto, MTB or BMX,
you’ve got a penchant for dirt, jumps, handlebars
and two wheels. There’s a common bond and an
unspoken, mutual respect between all riders,
and it’s not until you attend something like
Farm Jam that you realise just how strong
and closely-knit this action sports family
is. BMXers constantly mix and mingle
with FMXers and MTBers, spawning new
friendships, rekindling old ones and sharing
laughs, yarns and beers. There’s no “us” and
“them” mentality. There’s just “us”.
The Kiwi farm experience
It’s not called the Farm Jam by chance.
The Frews’ property is a 2,600-acre fully
operating sheep and beef farm. Leading up
to this year’s event, Dan and Brett were busy
from dawn until dusk weaning lambs and
installing a new water supply to the whole
farm.
The rustic charm of the property is well
capitalised on, though. The FMX pits were
housed inside the functioning woolshed
(which also featured a BMX mini-ramp to
keep the riders entertained during adverse
weather), farm ATVs constantly ferried
spectators from the carpark base area to the
top of the hill where the courses are based,
and punters could buy fresh Southland lamb
rolls during the event.
The weather
Quick activity for you. Grab a dice and
change the numbers to read “fine”, “windy”,
“rain”, “showers”, “hail”, “calm”. Roll the
dice twice to find out what the weather will do in
Southland today.
The day before Farm Jam was a bizarre cocktail
of fine periods with marauding icy showers and
18 | FreestyleXtreme
“
There’s no “us” and
“THEM” mentality.
There’s just “us”
”