PHOTO GALLERY: Hannford's race of endurance

Inaugural enduro race event puts riders to the test.

FULL THROTTLE: Hec Murphy, Drewan Blackburn, Nate Turner, Zeek Norford, Robbie Mac and Craig and Lily Emery at the Hanaford Enduro event on Sunday. Picture: Kate McCormack

ZEEK Norford's torn and bloodied hands grasped a well-deserved cold beer with glee after putting his endurance to the test at Hannaford's first enduro race event on Sunday.

After pushing himself through two hours of the gruelling mental and physical race, Norford was able to rack up 11 laps of the 15km track.

Close behind him was Jared Carmichael from Dalby and coming in third place was Hannaford's own Caleb Wallis.

Norford said he enjoyed the event immensely but admitted after the one hour mark, the fatigue began to set in and he found it hard to stay alert, resulting in a minor set back for the experienced trail rider.

"After a while you start to feel yourself losing concentration, which definitely contributed to me coming off of my bike completely at one part of the race," Norford said.

The 24-year-old kangaroo shooter from Tara said he would recommend the event to more riders in the region if the Hannaford Sport Club decide to hold the event again next year.
 

>> MASSIVE GALLERY: To see all the guts and the glory from Sunday's event, see the photo gallery here
 

Zeek Norford. Picture: Kate McCormack

"Bloody oath, if you enjoy riding you should come out and give it a crack," he said.

"I only decided I wanted to give it a crack after a few beers with friends at the pub the night before so I probably wasn't as prepared as I could have been but I'm happy with my efforts.

"The hardest thing was battling the melon holes, they really tore up my hands after the first hour so I was just trying to push myself to finish the race in the last half hour."

Taking home the bragging rights, as well as $300 in cold hard cash, it was a fairly successful Sunday of riding for Norford.

But several of the other competitors didn't end up so lucky.

A couple of riders pulled out with muscle fatigue while a handful of others faced mechanical setbacks.

But officials Anthony Wallis, John Moore and Peter Hubbard said they were impressed with the number of riders who put their hat in the ring for the new event.

"This was only our second ever motorbike gymkhana and the first time we've held an enduro event," Wallis said.

"We had 105 registrations throughout the entire weekend with 24 blokes participating in Sunday's open men's enduro event which is great for a first crack.

"The Hannaford club decided it could be a fun way to raise some extra money for our community and sporting club and it's proved to be a very successful weekend."

The Hannaford club wanted to make a special mention to Craig Emery who took it upon himself to specially mark out the course and organise all of the gymkhana events.

"If this weekend is anything to go by then there is a good chance we will hold more enduro events in the future," Wallis said.

"Just watch this space."

Originally published as PHOTO GALLERY: Hannford's race of endurance