EHT Boy Whips Up Success in Amateur Motocross

EHT Boy Whips Up Success in Amateur Motocross

By Maddy Vitale

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP – Canyon Richards is a boy of few words when it comes to his extreme talent in Amateur Motocross. At just 9 years old, he has won so many trophies and awards he actually gives them away. He doesn’t brag about his accomplishments, he just says he loves to ride.

And he is somewhat matter-of-fact about his daredevil stunts, which include soaring through the air at a speed of about 65 mph over a jump, catapulting him and his bike more than 12 feet up, then turning the bike sideways in a “whip.”

“It feels better than straight air,” Canyon said recently of his favorite move.

His dad, Guy Richards, 38, proudly chimed in, “He is known for style and jumping. When he was 6 years old he could throw whips both ways – left and right. He could turn his whole bike sideways.”

But everyone, even the best, has to start somewhere. For Canyon, it was when he was 2 years old, riding a bicycle in his yard. At age 4, he entered his first Tykes-on-Bikes race and the following year he started racing in motocross and won his first race.

“He never had training wheels in his life. By 2½ he was pedaling a bike and by 3 he had a dirt bike and he was riding around the front yard,” Richards said, adding the rest was history.

Canyon has a formidable collection of bikes, which includes six race bikes, two dirt bikes and three bicycles.

He and his older sister Brighton, 11, also an accomplished Amateur Motocross competitor, followed in their dad’s footsteps, also a rider, in their love of motocross and other types of racing.

“I ride two days a week with my sister and dad,” Canyon said.

At just 65 pounds, Canyon is smaller than many of his competitors, dad said. But it doesn’t seem to matter when he gets out there and wins, often big.

“It is a natural talent. I think it is from God,” Richards said.

But a lot of hard work goes into it. Both have a personal trainer.

“We do cross-fit five days a week,” Richards said. “Because Canyon is small, strength training is so important.”

Canyon has had some injuries, but fortunately nothing serious. Richards said it is because the family is focused on safety and taught him that from an early age. He wears protective braces and a helmet. “We make sure he is safe from head to foot. From the time we took Canyon to Tykes on Bikes races we focused on how to use the controls and spent the first few years trying to make it safe,” Richards said. “We are really big on safety.”

Canyon and his sister are home-schooled by retired teacher and mom Heidi Richards. This frees them up to go to races out of state and gives them a flexible schedule for riding. But if school work isn’t done, Richards said, it means no ride time.

“If there is a bad day in school, then no riding,” Richards said.

Usually the family practices in Millville, Cumberland County, at Field of Dreams or at Raceway Park in Englishtown, Monmouth County.

It makes for a lot of driving, but the practices are worth it, Richards said.

And with the wins mounting, Canyon’s practices are paying off.

“This kid has pretty much been born and bred inside of tracks,” Richards said. “I’m trying to buy property so my kids can ride here. It’s what they love to do.”

Canyon couldn’t imagine doing any other sport.

“I like the wind blowing through me,” he said. “My favorite thing about racing is definitely winning. It makes working hard all worth