Ben Wibberley, riding his 250 KTM, set a blistering pace at last Sunday’s 2025 Canada Heights Hare and Hounds Enduro. He won the three-hour event for the third time, finishing just twenty-five seconds ahead of Tom Hutchison (Lynwood 250 Gas Gas).
Race Report and Images by Dick Law
The usual Hare and Hounds rules applied, with nearly 180 riders lined up on the motocross track’s starting line being set off in their groups- championship first- ten seconds apart for three hours of riding. The course utilised part of the MX track, weaving through the trees and across the surrounding fields.
It had been dry and warm for the last couple of weeks leading up to the event, which meant the track would be hard, fast, and dusty in some places. A strong breeze kept the dust off the track, but this would result in some very close racing. As the checkered flag came out at the end of the three hours, Wibberley crossed the line having completed fourteen laps, while fifteen of his fellow riders remained on the same lap.
Josh Kirby (310 Fantic) led the field at the end of the first lap, followed by Dan Sibbick (DTS Carpentry 250 KTM) and Steven Cooper (Dynamic Water 250 KTM), with Wibberley and Hutchison rounding out the top five positions. James Burroughs (Body Clinic 350 KTM), the first of the expert class riders, was just outside the top ten in eleventh place.
By the end of lap five, Wibberley led Cooper and Sibbick, while Expert class riders Burroughs, Hugh Benson (350 Gas Gas), and Arron Jenner (250 Honda) split up the championship class riders, as all three were in the top ten.
As the event reached the halfway point, Wibberley was still in the lead, but the new second-place driver, Hutchinson, had him in his sights and was not letting him pull away. Cooper had dropped down to third place, while Kit Szabo (250 KTM) was in fourth place due to fuel stops.
Expert rider Ryan Osborn (Blades Bikes 310 Fantic) was up to fifth, with Benson, Jamie Callow (250 Gas Gas), and Burroughs taking the next three spots for expert riders in eighth, tenth, and eleventh places, respectively.
With two laps to go, you couldn’t separate Wibberley and Hutchison, and it seemed that the winner would be determined by who could navigate the lapped riders more effectively. Copper had lost touch with the leading pair as expert riders Osborn and Benson moved into fourth and fifth positions, while Sibbick and Ross Kerr (Elderfield MC 125 Yamaha) fell behind.
As the finishing flag fell, Wibberley had opened a small advantage over Hutchison, while Copper crossed the finish line almost two minutes behind the leading pair.
Osborn, the first expert rider, was fourth, with Benson in fifth. Sibbick and Kerr held onto sixth and seventh places, while the third expert rider was Callow.
Michael Ridge (Ridge Racing 250 Yamaha) won the veteran expert class from James Holt (Jim Aim MC 350 KTM) and Jack Twentyman (300 KTM) and were only a lap down from the event winners.
Stuart Scott (350 KTM) won the Clubman A class from Graham Hill (300 KTM) and Jaime Cass (TS Harris 300 KTM) as the top fourteen finishers in class completed thirteen laps.
Mikey Benwell (350 Gas Gas) beat Lance Carey (250 Gas Gas) and Dean Heathfield (300 KTM) in the clubman Bs and completed twelve laps.
Robin Scarry (300 Husqvarna) won the veteran Clubman A, while Richard Johnson (250 KTM) won the veteran Clubman Bs.
The bravest man at the event was James Coker. He rode a 700cc Yamaha twin in the sportsman class. Not only did he finish the three-hour event, but he also won the class by a lap. Richard Treagust (300 Gas Gas) came in second, with Alex Dallimore (300 KTM) in third.
Danny Clarke (Metal Finishing 300 Sherco) won the veteran sportsman, while Reece Giles (250 KTM) won the small youth class. Manuel Bernardez (490 Macio) was the best of the Evo class runners.
Results – Top ten in class
Championship:
1 Ben Wibberley (250 KTM) 14 laps
2 Tom Hutchinson (Lynwood 250 Gas Gas)
3 Steven Cooper (Dynamic Water 250 KTM)
4 Dan Sibbick (DTS Carpentry 250 KTM)
5 Ross Kerr (Elderfield Motorcycles 125 Yamaha)
6 Dan Alldred (300 KTM)
7 Matthew Jordan (endurotyers.com 250 Husqvarna)
8 Ryan Crisp (250 Yamaha)
9 Joe Pratt (350 KTM)
10 Kit Szabo (250 KTM) 13 laps
Expert:
1 Ryan Osborn (Blades Bikes 310 Fantic) 14 laps
2 Hugh Benson (350 Gas Gas)
3 Jeremy Callow (250 Gas Gas)
4 Tom Braddock (300 Sherco)
5 Jamie Callow (250 Gas Gas)
6 Tommy Wills (250 Husqvarna)
7 Gary McCoy (350 Gas Gas) 13 laps
8 Andrew Hutchinson (350 Beta)
9 Jason Bates (300 KTM)
10 James Colclough (300 Sherco)
Veteran Expert:
1 Michael Ridge (Ridge Racing 250 Yamaha) 13 laps
2 James Holt (Jim Aim Motorcycles KTM)
3 Jack Twentyman (300 KTM)
4 Dave Coles (450 Yamaha)
5 Greg Simon (200 Beta)
6 Carl Venter (300 KTM)
7 Chris Howman (350 KTM)
8 Paul Armstrong (250 Husqvarna)
9 Graham Reid (450 KTM)
10 John Barnett (300 KTM)
Clubman A:
1 Stuart Scott (350 KTM) 13 laps
2 Graham Hill (300 KTM)
3 Jamie Cass (TS Harris 300 KTM)
4 Sam Barham (Factory MX Graphics 300 KTM)
5 Gareth Morley (350 Gas Gas)
6 Lee Clifford (CRT Performance Parts 250 Sherco)
7 Luke Barnett (300 Beta)
8 Kirk Giles (300 KTM)
9 George Beakhouse (250 Sherco)
10 Luke Haggaty (250 KTM)
Veteran Clubman A:
1 Robin Scarry (300 Husqvarna) 13 laps
2 Paul Burbage (Southern Plant 300 Beta)
3 In Mitchell (250 KTM) 12 laps
4 Elliot Clarkson (350 KTM)
5 Joe Beard (250 Sherco)
6 Jamie Peskett (250 KTM)
7 Seb Chivers (Smartfit Pro 300 Husqvarna)
8 Lee Szabo (450 KTM) 11 laps
Clubman B:
1 Mikey Benwell (350 Gas Gas) 12 laps
2 Lance Carey (250 Gas Gas)
3 Dean Heathfield (300 KTM)
4 Stuart Sorrell (300 Beta)
5 Ross Reddin (250 KTM)
6 James Ramsden (Beautiful Bodies 250 Husqvarna)
7 Adam Blackford-Miles (300 Husqvarna)
8 Nathan Wells (350 Gas Gas)
9 Luke Smith (300 Husqvarna)
10 Thomas Hart (300 Beta)
Veteran Clubman B:
1 Richard Johnson (250 KTM) 13 laps
2 Steve Prior (SA Prior Builders 250 KTM)
3 Russell Benson (250 KTM)
4 Mark Paul (250 KTM)
5 Adrian Wainwright (250 Yamaha)
6 Ian Mace (250 KTM)
7 Steven Masters (250 Beta)
8 Carl Boraman (Dibtech 250 KTM) 11 laps
9 Wade Stafford (Hot Rock Butchery 350 KTM)
10 Kevin Barry (300 KTM)
Sportsman:
1 James Coker (700 Yamaha) 12 laps
2 Richard Treagust (300 Gas Gas) 11 laps
3 Alex Dallimore (300 KTM)
4 Simon Poynter (300 Husqvarna)
5 Danny Howard (300 Husqvarna) 10 laps
6 Darren Garner (300 Gas Gas)
7 Alex Forman (Infinity Electrical 300 KTM)
8 Ryan Allinson (300 Beta)
9 Lee Moore (450 Yamaha) 9 laps
10 Martyn Emmens (250 Beta)
Veteran Sportsman:
1 Danny Clarke (Metal Finishing 300 Sherco) 12 laps
2 Leigh Nicklin (300 Husqvarna) 11 laps
3 Mark Trott (300 KTM)
4 Colin Morgan (350 KTM)
5 Adrin Osborn (300 KTM)
6 Keith Workman (250 KTM) 10 laps
7 Peter Moller (250 Gas Gas)
8 Ian Pape (Drainwise 300 beta) 8 laps
9 Ian Nicholls (350 KTM) 7 laps
10 Mitchael Buttle (450 Husqvarna) 5 laps
Youth:
1 Reece Giles (250 KTM) 13 laps
2 Broc Barnett (250 Gas Gas)
3 Harrison Doherty (85 Gas Gas) 12 laps.
Evo:
1 Manuel Bernardez (tidytiming.com 490 Maico) 12 laps
2 Colin Fox (Motoward, Teamsnapper 250 KTM) 10 laps
