iris123

Just reading about the time Frank Pearce and 4 other top riders went on strike for more money!!! Maybe the first speedway strike ? https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/21078843/1640119

Just having a look and in the Brisbane Courier 29.12.1926 is a photo of Paddy Dean doing a 'broadside skid'

Sorry if this has been posted before. I have never seen it, but some great photos mainly from Speedway Royal, Wayville around 1928 including Vix Huxley, Sprout Elder, Billy Lamont, Paddy Dean and a Frank Arther!!! and a Miss Kay Taylor!!!! and Les Van Praag and a few riders with I guess the Golden Helmet including Tommy Benstead https://collections.slsa.sa.gov.au/resource/B+40549

A report of Eddie Brinck and Sprouts Elder racing each other in Australia https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/sprouts-elder-now-speed-idol-australia/

Well good news and bad. After a meeting with the mayor, the team will make their presentation and hold an autograph signing session, but they won't be allowed to ride on the ice. They will have some youngsters out on karts though

Seems strange that Californians settle with our lovely weather. Hancock even seems to have settled quite nicely in Sweden, although his career isn't over yet. And Shawn Moran was possibly still is living down in south Germany

Mums uncle was Ronnie mechanic for a number of years. Sad that neither are with us any longer and neither is the team or stadium. Seems so long ago those wonderful glory days

Again it isn’t about convincing me. I won’t be supporting speedway in Oxford nor will I be protesting about greyhounds. I am just shocked at those numbers, as I guess will Oxford residents reading that article. The protest movement seems to be growing, even in the stronghold of Ireland I see. Although ‘major’ seems an exaggeration We only have one local track and that only hosts 1 or 2 meetings a year. If I win the lottery I would love to buy it and turn it into a speedway track

As I said when I was looking at some of the flat track stuff from the US and Canada I noticed there is a growing protest movement trying to stop horse racing, because some horses die or are put down due to injury. You are missing their point though. Of course pets are put down. But it is to put them out of their misery usually and are usually in a loving environment. As one or two have pointed out these dogs are bred and then put down because they have no use to the owner. That is a bit different to a pet being put down Never even heard (should that be herd?) of cow racing. Must be a Finnish sport

A good post FD from someone with some knowledge. I am quite shocked at those figures. No real knowledge of the dogs. I went once back in the early 80s I think at Wimbledon. But that was because it was part of our course at college and was free for us and compulsory. I of course knew there were protests, but just thought it was due to dogs getting killed during a race., rather like the protests in the US against horse racing. The figures are indefensible and I am surprised Rob has defended the sport. Out of pure desperation to get speedway back I guess Tbh it can’t be long before the sport is put out of business with today’s political climate

Also a possibility Henning Loof stayed on ? I think he got married to a British woman, although he did turn up in Germany a few years back and rode in one or two meetings before disappearing again. So not sure where he is

Did see that Bruce Cribb is planning some demo rides in NZ on his ice bike. Probably promoting his new book, but a bit of promo for the sport as well

Crickey!I thought the 1,000 dogs was exaggerated maybe, but it is no wonder people are protesting against the sport

1,000 Greyhounds died or were killed in 2018!!!! Does that tell the whole story ? Certainly give ammo to peta

Think that is right !!!

Wasn't actually. Think it was an obscure rider, was a new one to me at least when I read about him

Oh and another one who stayed, is Bruce Cribb. Only saw a post of his this morning about going back to NZ to do a tour of tracks racing his ice bike in the new year

Good shout. I was also thinking of Jan Steachmann and Sam Ermolenko, but not sure on whether they reside in the UK or not now

Not very popular in Glasgow though, I think

I was thinking of Neil Street as well, but saw he died at home in Australia. Had he just moved back or did he have a home in both the UK and Australia ?

There was a polish rider that stayed on and lived down by Exeter possibly ?

Was looking through an old book and it had a section on 'Where are they now' and it stated Pioneer rider Billy Galloway had just died having been an instructor at the Scottish School of Hairdressing !!! Which got me wondering how many overseas riders stayed in the UK after their career was over? Couple of obvious ones are Olle Nygren and Peter Schroek

Yes think it might have been a newspaper report of the meeting describing dirt or grit getting showered as the riders went round the bends. Nothing 100%, but evocative of sliding

Think I posted a link a few years back that suggested quite possibly

Luca Bauer will ride as an Italian again this season. Doing two Swedish League meetings before the WC quali in Sweden https://www.speedweek.com/eisspeedway-racing/news/153152/Luca-Bauer-aergert-sich-Zu-kalt-zum-Trainieren.html