Watch: Ladysmith rider’s childhood passion leads to Middle East career

At 33-years-old, Ladysmith-born freestyle motocross rider Chad Bouwer has turned a childhood passion for dirt bikes and extreme sports into an international career that now sees him performing with world-class freestyle motocross teams across the Middle East,reports the Northern Natal News. His story begins when he moved to Ladysmith at the age of seven. “The motocross scene back then was extreme,” he recalls.“As kids, we were exposed to the adrenaline, the bikes and the lifestyle, and I became obsessed with freestyle motocross and extreme sports from that moment.” Growing up in a small town did not stop him from pursuing his dreams.

Chad immersed himself in skateboarding, BMX riding and scooters while spending nearly every day riding at the motocross track near the railway line in Ladysmith. His first bike was an old Kawasaki KX60. Despite the fact that it was a small machine, he quickly earned a reputation for fearless riding.

“They called me ‘Mad Chad’ because I was doing massive jumps on a small bike,” he said. “I was also known as the ‘hole-shot king’ because I always wanted to get to the first corner ahead of everyone else.” His father, Andrew Bouwer of Ferobrake, supported his motocross ambitions but tried to steer him away from freestyle motocross due to concerns about injuries and the dangerous lifestyle often associated with the sport. Instead, Chad focused on motocross racing and off-road riding throughout his teenage years.

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“We built tracks and spent all our time riding,” he said. “At Elandslaagte, we had a massive double jump and we were constantly pushing ourselves.” He fondly remembers his childhood in Ladysmith alongside close friends Dale Stander and Jean du Plessis.

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