Words by Mike V, photos supplied by Jack Horrocks

LUXBMX is super excited to present the latest series to hit The Journal, 'Grom Spotlight'.

While we seek to cover some of the biggest and most legendary names in BMX on The Journal, we think it's equally important to feature budding talent from the underground, the up and coming bikers that thrive BMX and ultimately represent the future.

All of the staff at LUXBMX have ourselves, once been a grom and can understand how incredible it feels to see yourself (or one of your homies) getting some love from the scene. We see this as a way to encourage and support the younger crew, as well as offer an insight into the different cliques around the country.

As part of our mission to grow and nurture BMX in Australia (and internationally), we are now able to offer 'Grom Spotlight' and even more excitingly, unveil our third episode with Hobart based biker Jack Horrocks.

One of the more enjoyable parts of the 'Grom Spotlight' feature is the selection process, then of course getting to know and understand the subject biker. This one has been particularly awesome in that regard, with more and more depth presenting itself the further the project leads.

With a tip off from another Tasmanian local, Kaleb Olden, I made contact with the kid back in May 2024. Having not heard of him, nor able to find all that much online, it's always a little shaky starting off this way in not knowing if the project will unfold in line with your expectations and that of your overlord masters.

However, right from the start, Jack has been a true champion, matching my enthusiasm and drive to do this thing right. Fittingly, it is perhaps these values that work to describe the dudes approach to life and biking - alongside many other interesting traits which we will soon touch on.

From the top, Jack is the 21 year old son of English migrants, having spent his whole life in the coastal suburb of Taroona - on the fringes of Hobart as bound by the lower Derwent estuary and the wild forest at the base of Mt Nelson.

A traditionally wealthy and educated community, Taroona continues to be home for Jack, despite the lure of nearby Hobart, including having spent his teenage years at a private school there, it would seem that the small town, down to earth community has proven its attractiveness. 

Finding the entitled nature of private school too much, it was having engaged in a local scout type group that kept the kid in touch with old mates - critical to his story in more ways than one. These mates just happened to be into biking and more importantly, the scout hall was situated right next to the Taroona skatepark - where he got the first sweet taste of BMX and where be continues to ride to this day.

So from the age of 15, Taroona skatepark was a constant and as they (skateparks) tend to do, the community worked to positively influence Jack, setting him on a path for enjoying all the wonders that BMX can offer.

It's pretty cool to be able to map out a path from day zero - to understand how someone reaches their present position. In the case of Jack, a local shredder (Henry), who was more street oriented, helped to introduce him to the wider BMX community as well as influence his riding at a formative time. While the other bikers fell off the radar as a result of cars and careers, it was Jack's ever-strengthening connection to BMX that kept him coming back for more.

In trying to understand this connection to BMX, it struck me as notable that Jack was able to articulate a response well beyond his years, giving a nod to the rich fabric of the local BMX community.

From Jack's perspective:

"BMX has always been there when I needed it, whether that was the social aspect or the progression aspect. At the end of the day, BMX for me is a highly individualised sport but it's made better by everyone around you. The way everyone has a different representation of themselves through their own unique style is amazing, and the ability BMX has to bring people together from all different backgrounds, ages and places is really something special."

Going on to further explain the value of diversity and openness:

"I think the special thing about the community in BMX is how different the friends I’ve made in it are to the other people I see on a regular basis. Within my course, the place I live, and the events/hobbies I take part in I’m in quite a bubble with respect to the people I meet. 

What I mean is that most people I meet (not all) have very similar upbringings to me and similar opinions and beliefs about the world. Whereas in BMX the people I’ve met are very different and often don't share my same beliefs or life experiences. I think this is what brings us together as a community as we can recognise our differences and put them aside for our one shared love of BMX.

It forces you to challenge your own beliefs and be more accepting of others. I am very grateful that my connection to BMX has allowed for this within my own life." 

It doesn't take long to realise that the kid has a certain level of intelligence, something which isn't going to waste as he works his way through the 3rd year (of 5) of a medical degree from the University of Tasmania.

In discussion with Jack, you get the sense that he is well disciplined about how he goes about ensuring balance. Having come out of the cadaver lab (a setting to study human tissue in a 3D environment) the day we started this discussion, I was super intrigued to find out more about this side of his life. No doubt that there is careful consideration required to ensure that BMX retains some attention while the priority shifts towards exams and study. Even still, Jack looks to get out on the steed a couple times a week, valuing the friendships and release that biking provides.

Having spoken with a couple of the older heads from the Tasmanian scene, the above sentiments are further reinforced, as Nathan Watts describes:

"I’ve known Jack for a couple of years and it’s been crazy seeing his progress. Not only with BMX but also the other being a doctor (those two don’t usually go hand-in-hand). I’ve never met anyone that rides BMX and is studying to become a doctor. It’s very impressive to see him balance how much studying he has to do and yet still comes out and rides. 

As Nathan mentions, it is unique to see a biker who doubles as a medical student. I then wondered if there were any connections between the two, perhaps along the lines of patience and dedication. Jack clarifies:

"I suppose they’re both fields that have endless possibilities with many niches for different types of people. I guess the biggest connection between the two for me is the commitment factor for both, with medicine and BMX being some of the things I’ve stuck with the longest in my life."

A lover of science through high school, progressing with medicine brought together his proclivity for understanding the world (and in this case, a focus on the human body) and opening yourself up to endless possibilities. Jack acknowledges that even after 3 years, the journey has only just begun in that until you work through placement in year 4 and 5, it is thus difficult to know where the future lies in terms of location and specialisation. Once again, the dude has a great attitude towards his future, remaining open to whatever comes his way. 

The theme of openness also comes through as we discuss the Tasmanian BMX scene, with Jack highlighting the scale and attitude of those making up the crew as influential factors in his personality and riding style.

"The local scene in Tassie is super unique in my opinion. We have a small crew of consistent riders with super diverse styles and a massive range when it comes to ages and background. I think the best part about the Tassie scene is how everyone rides with everyone regardless of style, age or background, we’re all just BMX riders. 

From what I saw over there (UK), the street guys and the park guys have their own sort of cliques within the scene because they have so many more numbers. I guess I just think it's really cool that we have a small community that offers so many different riding styles which coexist with one another within one super close group of mates."

For a lot of bikers on the mainland, a small scene might not be something you're all that familiar with, certainly not to be taken for granted. While there are obvious downsides to this, it would seem that Jack is focussed on the benefits.

A couple distinct points which kept coming up in our chats were around the ability to more easily form relationships with the older crew, which then led to Jack being able to more quickly and easily learn new tricks through watching and seeking feedback/tips. Particularly when it's someone who has a keen interest in the growth of local BMX and is thus motivated to take on that 'coach' type role.

This concept is captured fittingly through another Tasmanian head, Trav Pennell:

"While I only met Jack a couple of years ago, it has been awesome getting to know him, and seeing his riding and style on a bike develop so much. As an older rider myself and living in a state with a small riding population I get stoked seeing young guys pushing themselves and progressing on the BMX but still having a fun time, and that's what Jack is all about on the sessions. 

Despite being in the midst of a demanding uni degree he doesn't slack on his riding and is constantly progressing in leaps and bounds all the time. He brings a good vibe to the session, laughs and high energy. He's an excellent shit talker and a game of bike/crank flip aficionado.

Jacks a good kid, be like Jack."

Secondly, the smaller scale of the Hobart scene appears to have resulted in a willingness and acceptance to embrace all those who bike no matter your stripe. As Jack explains:

"I guess the crew doesn’t have many barriers to entry just because we have so few people. We’re always happy to get new riders in the group whenever we meet new people who are stoked on BMX. You’ve gotta accept all the riders you can when the pool for people to ride with is so low."

Most interestingly, it would seem that the character of the local scene has led Jack to make a few unique decisions, including the maintenance of a dual bike setup.

A brief reflection suggests there is only one other biker I know who has a dual setup (Jerry V), so it's cool to hear of a younger kid open to all forms of biking and then taking actions to progress that. Outside of a zest for riding as many different terrains as possible, Jack noted that a further inspiration for dual bikes comes from watching riders like Boyd Hilder and Alex Hiam growing up - bikers who excel at being remarkable generalists.

He goes on to further explain:

"Tasmania doesn’t have a very good selection of skateparks for any style of riding, so by having both setups I find I’m less limited by what the skatepark has to offer. The two bikes means I can ride whatever style whenever I want and allows me to be more free in terms of what I want to progress on."

The kid is also trialling a unique brake setup, a symbol of small town ingenuity from a fellow biker in the Tasmanian BMX community - allowing you to run a brake setup without a lever and thus avoiding pesky injuries and unnecessary handlebar distractions.

This project has been a long time in the making and I can't thank Jack enough for his patience, persistence and commitment to the vision. One thing that was missing throughout this process was a series of higher quality photos, something which the dude came through with after a mate bought a decent SLR, the boys going out specifically to shoot shots for this project. I love that there is a return in enthusiasm, a quality which likely reverberates in the Hobart (and broader Tasmanian) scene through Jack's presence. 

Let's leave this thing with a concise sentiment from the young fella. 

"Enjoy your time while you have it and keep moving forward with a smile."