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Opinion by Dale Budge
OPINION
I love rallying and have grown up with it from a young age. I get immense pleasure from working in the sport these days and sharing trips away with the wider rallying community, but the past couple of days have been some of the toughest that I canrecall.
The news has stunned our sport and has had a profound impact on all involved in it. It cuts deep on so many levels. They were our friends. They were family and no family should have to farewell their child. No young wife should have to lose their partner at this age.
They were both super-popular – larger-than-life characters, each with an endearing smile and nature that pulled people in and made people want to be around them.
And they were so, so talented. It pains me to use the saddest words associated with sport – “they could have been”, but unfortunately that is the case here.
The deaths of Tyson Jemmett and Brooklyn Horan are a big blow for the rally community in New Zealand, writes Dale Budge. Photo / Supplied
At age 15, Brooklyn Horan had the world at his feet. He was already a star in rallying, off-road racing and circuit racing. The biggest of things were expected of him – I mean biggest. He had WRC written all over him and all in the sport knew it.
While tragedy robs us of a prodigious talent, the human element of this hits home the most and will leave a lasting impression on so many.
The Horan family are maybe the most respected family in New Zealand motorsport. Their iconic black and gold livery stands out nearly as much as the warmth and love they display while supporting each other and those around them at events – be it at the track or out on a gravel road somewhere.
Everyone loves them. They are humble, everyday Kiwis, doing what they love in the manner in which we all want someone to do it.
Brooklyn was infatuated with motorsport. I recall seeing him a few years ago out watching his dad Raana at rallies. He was always riding every split or stage time and he would try and find out any snippet of what we in the NZ Rally Championship Live team knew about how things were going in the most reserved manner – always polite, always with a smile on his face and a sheepish look that said he didn’t want to be a burden.
He never was – he was a pleasure to know. You couldn’t help but feel joy at the way he and his dad interacted. It was the father-son relationship everyone wants.
Even as his opportunities came behind the wheel and the world began to see something very special, Brooklyn remained the grounded young kid he’s always been and that is a credit to the Horan family.
Tyson lived and breathed rallying. He was a decorated co-driver and respected member of the rallying community. Intelligent and articulate and always happy to offer some thoughts or ideas on how to improve our sport.
Tyson Jemmett supporting Hayden Paddon in the Rally of Italy, in 2016. Photo / Supplied
The photos of him supporting Hayden Paddon during his WRC days all around the world are indicative of his persona – a rallying tragic.
He leaves behind a shattered family, a successful working career and a sporting career left unfulfilled. It just shouldn’t be this way.
I can’t even begin to imagine what those families are going through right now, but I think I speak on behalf of the rallying community when I say a little bit of all of us were in that car with them.
It has been inspiring seeing the rallying community come together to grieve and to offer support – we have something very special here and it just sucks that we really only show how amazing it is in the absolute worst of times.
It will take a long time for life to get back to normal and it will never quite be the same again.
To my friends in the media – I understand you have a challenging job to do reporting on something like this. But please understand that sometimes unavoidable things happen as much as we do everything possible to avoid them. Let’s not drag the sport through the ringer or push even more grief on already broken hearts.
Brooklyn was one of the most talented drivers in the country irrespective of his age. He had the best rally car money can buy – from the most renowned production factory in the world with all the latest state-of-the-art safety features. The rally sprint is one of the most renowned in the country, run by a terrific car club that sets a high standard.
That accident could happen 1000 times, and 999 times they would walk away from the incident. As is always the case, the accident will be studied, every safety aspect assessed and if there can even be the tiniest of improvements made anywhere, know they’ll become staples moving forward.
People get knocked off push bikes riding the roads every weekend and we never question cycling; boaties have accidents in the water all the time and we never question pleasure craft.
The reality is we are 10,000 times more likely to be involved in an accident like this on the way to the event than during a rally.
Sometimes the worst things happen in life – we are left stunned, crushed and helpless looking for answers that just aren’t there.
Maybe we can take the smallest of comfort knowing those two mates of ours ended their time in this world doing what they loved most, and their spirits will live on through the impact they’ve left on all of us.
Dale Budge is a former journalist with the New Zealand Herald and Radio Sport
