by Clint Esposito
The end of the year is a typically slow time for FMX in the US. With the holiday season upon us, most people aren’t big on setting up shows nor are people big on going to shows. However many other countries don't share our affection for the holidays or even the same holidays. The last few months of the year saw FMX East in the far east, on a Caribbean island and in good ol' American cowboy country.
This year we had the opportunity to spend Halloween in China for the Chinese National Motocross Championships. Although Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, I'm pretty sure the Chinese don't have any idea that it exists. I had never been to China and happen to love my job, so, of course, I said yes!
The show took place directly following a 2 week circus run. So I went from Minneapolis to Tim Dyson's house in St Louis, and we flew out the next morning. After 2 flights, one of which was 12 hours, we were in Shanghai, China. This is where we met up with the promoter, Steven and our friends from the US, Eric and Chelsea. Early the next morning we boarded a smaller plane and flew a couple hours into the nation, where we were driven 4 hrs to Jiangxi province, where the event was to be held.
Culture shock aside (mainly food and the fact that everyone kind of gawked at us), it was cool to see the other side of the world, and people were nice. There was a big dirt landing with a concrete run way and two good ramps. Practice went well, despite the fact I could only sleep about 4 hrs in a row because of the time difference. The following morning we performed for a crowd of around 10,000 people including the governing officials of the Chinese motocross federation and the city. Dyson and I had fun riding and flipping side by side ramps. Before flying home, Dyson and I got an entire day to explore Shanghai and had a blast.
Dyson and Esposito flipping in Jiangxi
With Christmas plans being made, I got a last minute call from another international promoter for a show on December 26. Since there’s nothing quite like getting paid to spend a week in the tropics, Ray Bennett, Daniel Weeks and I packed up and headed to the island of Antigua. Weeks and I had been before, and because the island doesn’t get to see FMX much, it’s a big hit. We arrived there a couple days early to set up and hang out. Come show time we were ready to throw down for the crowd at the Sticky Wicket, a crickett field adjacent to the airport with views of the sea. Afterwards we were ushered to an Antiguan party to live it up with the locals.
Bennett and Weeks performing in Antigua
Back in the states, ready to ring in the New Year, I got a call from World Champion bullfighter Ross Hill to film a commercial for some events we are going to hold this year. The catch is the shoot is on New Years day. So after behaving myself on New Years Eve, I got up early and headed to Muscle Shoals, Alabama. The wind was ripping, but I managed to get the job done for the camera. An informal wrap party took place around a roaring campfire complete with plenty of domestic light beer, a cowboy with a guitar to serenade the crew and fueled late night, moonshine-bull ride.
If the last few months are any indication of how this year is going to be, it’s going to be wild ride in 2012.
