TRAIL ZONE

TRAIL BOSS BLOG:

R.I.P. PAUL BROOMFIELD

Well, there was some pretty crappy news this morning: MX hero Paul Broomfield passed away in the early hours of today, succumbing to a blood disorder that he had been battling for some months.

A recent bone marrow transplant had proven unsuccessful and Broomy was put on life support yesterday, before passing away this morning.

Being taken way too young is an absolute pisser and in this case Broomy was one of the fittest blokes you could ever meet. And he was an absolute top bloke, too. And he leaves a wife and young family, which makes this morning's news all the more sad.

I've got a huge framed montage of photos and images on my office wall, and right there amongst a lot of memories of my many years in magazine publishing is a photo of Broomy that we used in an advertising campaign for ADB magazine when myself, Tommy TBAM and Lac Mac worked there in the late 1990s.

We needed a pro rider that we could deck out in ADB riding gear, put atop our 'Hurricane' yellow-kitted Yamaha YZ400F and go hammer the sand dunes at Stockton.

If memory serves me right, Lac Mac shot the photos that day and came back with some ripper images of Broomy dragging the bars in the sand.

I've always liked the photo and the finished ADB advert, and the way Broomy just came in and got the job done for us. Which was a hallmark of the guy's career, be it as a racer, a trainer, a tutor, a team manager and, quite likely most recently, as a family man.

Rest in peace Paul Broomfield.

-- Clubby, www.trailzone.com.au

Note: Paul Broomfield's funeral will be held at 12:15pm on Monday, April 18, at the Macquarie Park Crematorium on Plassey Rd, North Ryde, NSW. It will take place at the Palm Chapel. The Broomfield family wants to celebrate his life, and therefore requests attendees turn up in riding jerseys, team shirts, etc to brighten up the day. Dress is strictly race spec!