Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 122, September 2019 | Page 57

not to intoxicate riders, but rather encourage the more relaxed and social side of riding around the farm on a lovely Spring morning, and embracing the joy and camaraderie of the sport while surrounded by the crazy Cow community. The true spirit of the event was encapsulated by the Mad Mulley sisters, Lisa and Delene, who rode in a range of Cow- themed tutu’s and with floral arrangements all over their bikes. This led to the creation of the annual fancy dress awards for best dressed male and female riders, which has seen the start line looking more like a carnival than an MTB event, as riders turn out in a wide array of outfits, including many strangely-adapted cow suits! Award. As close friends of the family and a huge part of the CHOC Cows, their passing was a massive blow to everyone, and a stark reminder of how ruthless and unforgiving this terrible disease truly is. The renaming of the fancy dress award was a fitting way to remember these wonderful women, and their love for life and the CHOC cause. THE FUTURE After the family relocated from Gauteng in 2017, we were fortunate enough to get Richard Beswick and the team from ilumin8 to take over the running of the Believe MTB race. Richard has long been associated with and supporting the COWs, and continues to grow the event as a key race on the MTB calendar whilst still keeping the family vibe at the heart of it. The Believe MTB is still run as a non-profit event, with illumin8 donating all proceeds back to CHOC, for which we are immensely grateful to Richard. We know that having him at the helm, and with the support of his network and the team at Northern Farms, that we will continue to see a top class event held in memory of our beloved Craig, and in support of the countless children that CHOC works so hard to support as they tackle this horrendous disease. As a family, we would like to thank everyone who has ever been involved in this wonderful event, either as a sponsor, a volunteer, or just a friend of the cause. Your support has been immeasurable in helping us cope with an unimaginable situation. Sadly, Delene and Lisa both tragically passed away from cancer within a year of each other, and in their honour the award was renamed the MAD MULLEYS To all the riders who continue to support the CHOC Cows through our event, or the numerous other places you can find the Cows, we salute you. Although not everyone is a rider, there is always somewhere you can get involved, and we encourage you to contact [email protected] to find out more about getting involved with The Cows and helping us support the fantastic work at CHOC. To enter the 2019 Believe MTB race, go to http://www.cycleevents.co.za/mtb-events/21748-cst-believe-mtb-race-2019 IT’S A BEAUTIFUL DAY TO FIGHT CANCER! 57