Taihape motocross rider Hayden Smith the 14th best junior on the planet

Taihape motocross rider Hayden Smith is the 14th best junior on the planet. Photo / Andy McGechan

Taihape teenager Hayden Smith has franked his New Zealand form with an excellent performance at the FIM Junior Motocross World Championships at Horsham, in Australia, at the weekend.

The 17-year-old finished 14th in the 125cc grade on his KTM 125. Now based in Auckland working as a builder, Smith won the national 125cc senior title in 2017.

Prior to the world championships in Horsham, New Zealand's former 250cc motocross world champion Ben Townley believed one or two of the young Kiwis entered had a good chance of achieving a podium position at this event.

The 2004 FIM MX2 title winner, Bay of Plenty's Townley had been working with Smith along with Oparau's James Scott, 16, and Tauranga's Brodie Connolly, 14, who raced the Premier 125cc class at Horsham.

Scott was the best-performed of the Kiwi contingent ending the competition 7th in the world after qualifying 11th fastest on Saturday.

Connolly was equally impressive at Horsham. The 14-year-old, one of the youngest riders at the event, was the next best of the Kiwis in the 125cc class, taking his KTM 125SX to finish 13th overall.

The field included the best in Australia and fellow Kiwis, as well as top riders from the United States, Japan, South Africa, Spain, The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Hungary, France, Great Britain, Slovakia, Sweden and Italy and raced on a rough, rutted and heavily watered track.