Boy's number a special tribute

Trent Haywood (foreground) was a talented rider who represented Tauranga Boys' College in many events, including the Rotorua Schools Motocross Challenge. Photo/Shay Hulsebosch

Stickers with Trent Haywood's motocross number will be handed out to family and friends this week in memory of the talented rider.

Aaron Smith, of Epic Decals in Taupo, said he had been sponsoring Trent, 14, for a couple of years and printing "mini plate" stickers with Trent's racing number, 323, on them was the least he could do.

"This way we can have him riding with us. I will send a heap to his club and some to certain shops as a couple of key headquarters so the kids can come and pick them up.

"The stickers are mini plates, 60mm stickers that kids especially Trent's age absolutely love.

"We just want to have his name out there. He's not going to go forgotten, that's for sure."

Mr Smith said there was also discussions about having a memorial race at Taupo's big Labour Weekend races for Trent.

He said it was a sad irony that Trent had been killed in the Michael Godfrey MX Memorial in Omihi, near Waipara, in memory of a rider who died 30 years ago.

Shay Hulsebosch, the teacher in charge of motocross at Tauranga Boys' College, said the team were planning to wear the stickers at their next race.

The team would compete next in Taupo on July 4. They planned on honouring Trent with a lap in his memory.

The school team, which had 24 riders, had got together at the captain's parents' house on Monday afternoon, Mr Hulsebosch said.

"It was really good. They were pretty visibly upset but they are sticking together. Some of them have started making their way to Trent's parents' house to visit his parents."

Many students at the college had been affected by Trent's death as he was a talented rider with friends of all age groups, Mr Hulsebosch said.

"He had been doing pretty spectacular, he did well recently in the Taupo winter series and had been cleaning up in the school competitions."

A classroom at Tauranga Boys' College had been put aside for Trent's friends and classmates to gather in and talk to each other for support.

"It's been busy, unfortunately," Mr Hulsebosch said.

"Amazingly, they're not necessarily always talking about Trent but he pops up in conversation. Many of them have found it hard to walk into the classroom when a friend is missing."

Trent was always there to help a younger or less able rider. Mr Hulsebosch said he would often watch the novice races and tell them when they did well.

Principal Robert Mangan said the college was putting on a tribute for Trent at a full school assembly on Friday. Mr Mangan would speak at the assembly about Trent and there would be a minute's silence while pictures of Trent were shown in a slideshow.