Scrambles/Motocross 1951-1972

Alan Collison leads Ken Cleghorn , Tim Gibbes and Colin Shultz 1966 Levin MX -Collison Collection.

Prior to the 1973 Motocross was known as Scrambles in New Zealand , having been a part of the national championship since 1951 . The name Moto Cross was run in New Zealand in the International series organised by Tim Gibbes between 1964 - 1970 .As was the case in most of motorcycle sport in those earlier days it was not uncommon to seen riders riding in several different catagories and disciplines. It is Interesting that each class was run at one meeting and in most cases different areas of the country at different times of the season. Unlike modern times where all classes are run at a single meeting over several rounds around the country .

Many top road racer names can be seen in the Scrambles Championship results as well , names such as Rod Coleman , Hugh Anderson , Kim Newcombe , Tom and Kevin McCleary appear among the noteable names of off road riders of the period such as Ken Cleghorn , Tim Gibbes , Morley Shirriffs , Ivan Miller and Alan Collison. Speedway stars Barry Briggs and Graeme Stapleton also appear.

Machinery was a combination of British and European makes of motorcycle. Then in the 1969/70 season the first Japanese machines started to appear on the Championship results , with Tim Gibbes taking second in the open class championship at Wanganui on a Yamaha, and Laurie Love taking the first New Zealand scramble championship on a Japanese machine when he won the 350cc championship on a Suzuki in Taranaki.

New Zealand Scramble / Motocross 

Championship Results 1951-1972

1950/51 1st V. Martick - Velocette 2nd N. Forsythe - Triumph 3rd D. Emmett - BSA

1951/52 1st P.Williams - Triumph 2nd V. Martick - Velocette 3rd N. Ricard - Dot

1952/53 No Results 

1953/54 1st B. Ferrier - Ariel 2nd K. Horgan - Matchless 3rd A.Ploen - Matchless

1954/55 1st J. Williams - Royal Enfield 2nd S.Cameron -Villiers 3rd L.Aislabie - Ariel

1955/56 

Open - (Christchurch)

1st P. Hughey - AJS 2nd J.Anderson - Matchless 3rd A. Ferguson - Matchless

350cc - (Putaruru) 

1st P. Night - BSA 2nd R.Beaumont - Dot 3rd B. Schenkel - Francis Barnett

250cc - (Wellington)

1st K. Cleghorn - Francis Barnett 2nd D. Buchanan - Dot 3rd A. Ferguson - Dot

1956/57

Open - (Manawatu)

1st K. Cleghorn - AJS 2nd P. McKegney - AJS 3rd D.Buchanan – Dot

350cc - (Wellington)

1st K Cleghorn - AJS 2nd P.McKegney - AJS 3rd B.Groucott – AJS

250cc - No Results

1957/58

Open- (Wanganui)

1st K. Cleghorn- AJS 2nd R. Coleman - AJS 3rd J. Williams - Royal Enfeild

500cc- (Canterbury)

1st K. McCleary- AJS 2nd D. Mc Neill- BSA 3rd R. Harris- BSA

350cc- (Ashburton)

1st D. McNeill- BSA 2nd M. Daniels- BSA 3rd R. Pink- BSA

250cc- (Manawatu)

1st J. Dinley- Francis Barnett 2nd D.Buchanan- Dot 3rd P.Lockett- Francis Barnett

1958/59

Open- (Nelson) No Results

500cc-(Manawatu) Not Held

350cc- (Marlborough) 

1st T. McCleary- BSA 2nd D.Burns- BSA 3rd B. Briggs- BSA 

250cc- (Canterbury)

1st R. Plummer- Greeves 2nd M. Daniels- Triumph 3rd R.Harris- BSA

1959/60

Open- (Manawatu)

1st D. Burns- BSA 2nd B. Marshall- AJS 3rd W. Wetzel- BSA

500cc- (Canterbury)

1st D. Burns- BSA 2nd I. McGregor- Royal Enfeild 3rd F. Harrison- BSA

350cc- (Taranaki)

1st B. Scobie- BSA 2nd C.Buchanan- Dot 3rd B. Marshall AJS

250cc- (Canterbury)

1st W. Veitch- Greeves 2nd D. Burns- Greeves 3rd K. McCleary Jawa.

1960/61

Open- (Canterbury)- NOT HELD

500cc- (Manawatu)

1st R.Coleman-AJS 2nd B.Pull-AJS 3rd W.Wetzel- Ariel

350cc- (Tauranga)

1st M.Low-BSA 2nd B.Schenkel-Velocette 3rd W.Webby-BSA 

250cc- (Onehunga)

1st D.Muller-DOT 2nd G.Terry-BSA 3rd D.Dorrell-Triumph

1961/62

Open- (Manawatu)

1st C.Dixon-BSA 2nd M.Campbell-BSA 3rd R.Campbell-BSA

500cc- (South Canterbury)

1st K.Cleghorn-AJS 2nd D.Burns-Tribsa 3rd E.Timms-JAP/AJS

350cc- (Tauranga)

1st D.Dorrell-BSA 2nd K. Newcombe-Greeves 3rd B.Shenkel-BSA

250cc- (Canterbury)

1st G.Terry-BSA 2nd D.Burns-Greeves 3rd H.Anderson-Greeves

1962/63

Open-(Canterbury)

1st B.Roberts-Ariel 2nd N.Currie-Greeves 3rd R.Johnston-AJS

500cc-(Wellington)- NOT HELD

350cc- (Rotorua)- NOT HELD

250cc-(Hutt Valley)

1st G.Terry-BSA 2nd E.Atkinson-DOT 3rd A.Collinson-BSA

1963/64

Open-(Taranaki)

1st C.Dixon-JAP 2nd M.Campbell-BSA 3rd A.Collison-BSA

500cc-(Marlborough)

1st W.Veitch-BSA 2nd W.Butler-BSA 3rd A. Sabiston-AJS

350cc-(Canterbury)

1st T.Gibbes-Greeves 2nd A.Collison-BSA 3rd N.Miller-Matchless

250cc-(Canterbury)

1st T.Gibbes-Greeves 2nd A.Collison-BSA 3rd D.Boyce-DOT

1964/65

Open-South Canterbury

1st R.Johnston-Metisse 2nd A Sabiston-AJS 3rd B.Horton-Greeves

500cc-Marlborough

1st Equal W.Wetzel/N.McElwain-BSA 3rd A.Sabiston-AJS

350cc-Wairarapa

1st M.Shirriffs-BSA 2nd G.Terry-BSA 3rd A.Collison-BSA

250cc-Taranaki

1st A.Collison-BSA 2nd G.Terry-BSA 3rd B.Pink-BSA

1965/66

Open-(Auckland)

1st T.Gibbes-AJS 2nd A.Collison-Metisse 3rd G.Wroblenski-AJS

500cc-(Marlborough)

1st K.Cleghorn-AJS 2nd N.McElwain-BSA 3rd A.Wilson-Metisse

350cc- (Ashburton)

1st R.Meyer-BSA 2nd L.Boyce-DOT 3rd G.Holland-JAP

250cc-(Canterbury)

1st G.Terry-Greeves 2nd D.Boyce-DOT 3rd I.McGregor-CZ

1966/67

Open-(Marlborough)

1st A.Collison-Metisse 2nd G.Stapleton-CZ 3rd G.Terry-Greeves

500cc-(Auckland)

1st L.Peeti-Metisse 2nd G.Wroblenski-BSA 3rd C.Fullerton-DOT

350cc-(Hutt Valley)

1st G.Stapleton-CZ 2nd W.Wetzel-BSA 3rd G.Marsh-BSA

250cc-(Wanganui)

1st T.Gibbes-Greeves 2nd G.Lockett-Greeves 3rd B.Campbell-Bultaco

1967/68

Open-(Taranaki)

1st A.Collison-Metisse 2nd C.Schultz-Metisse 3rd B.Pink-BSA

500cc-(Canterbury)

1st R.Harper-Wasp 2nd P.Doecke-CZ 3rd B.Pink-BSA

350cc-(Canterbury)

1st I.Miller-CZ 2nd P.Doecke-CZ 3rd G.Holland-CZ

250cc-(Marlborough)

1st I.Miller-CZ 2nd R.McLaren-CZ 3rd A.Franklin-CZ

1968/69

Open-(Canterbury)

1st A. Collison-Metisse 2nd G.Holland-CZ 3rd K.Cleghorn-Husqvarna

500cc-(Wanganui)

1st A. Collison-Metisse 2nd T.Gibbes- Husqvarna 3rd K.Cleghorn-Matchless

350cc- (Rotorua)

1st L.Worsley-Bultaco 2nd R.Cotterill-CZ 3rd K.Couling-DOT

250cc-(Wellington) -NOT HELD

1969/70

Open-(Wanganui)

1st A.Collison-CZ 2nd T.Gibbes-Yamaha 3rd D. McLaren-CZ

500cc-(Canterbury)

1st R.Austin-CZ 2nd P.Doecke-CZ 3rd G.Holland-CZ

350cc- (Taranaki)

1st L.Love-Suzuki 2nd R.McChesney-CZ 3rd R.Cotterill-CZ

250cc-(Canterbury)

1st G.Stapleton-CZ 2nd K.Miles-Montessa 3rd B.Read-Bultaco

1970/71

Open- (Otago)

1st A.Collison-CZ 2nd A.Sabiston-Greeves 3rd R.Happer-CZ

500cc-(Taranaki)

1st H.Anderson-Suzuki 2nd A Collison-CZ 3rd R.Dixon-BSA

350cc- NOT HELD

250cc-(Wellington)

1st M.Shirriffs-Yamaha 2nd T.Gibbes-Yamaha 3rd G.Lockett -CZ

1971/72

Open-(Wairarapa)

1st C.Shultz-Maico 2nd M.Shirriffs-Yamaha 3rd R.Dixon-BSA

500cc-(Canterbury)

1st P.Ploen-Suzuki 2nd A.Collision-CZ 3rd A.Sabiston-BSA

350cc-(Wanganui)

1st M.Shirriffs-Yamaha 2nd H.Anderson-Yamaha 3rd B.Robins-Yamaha

250cc-(Hamilton)

1st M.Shirriffs-Yamaha 2nd H.Anderson-Yamaha 3rd A.Collinson-CZ

Results complied from original NZACU results,Pic Collison Collection.

Prepared for Motorcycling New Zealand Inc, by Ian Dawson