Trivia....The Goondawindi Gate.

[Davey Crocket]

OK, all you smart arses, see how long it takes you to get this one....What is the Goondawindi gate and who invented it and what year?...if your a real smartarse and know the answer straight away then string it out abit. Cheers DC.

[JohnnyO]

I reckon i know but i'll wait DC...

[Davey Crocket]

Good boy

[jimg1au]

is it not the gate that keeps the goondawindi grey (race horse) in its padock.

[JohnnyO]

is it not the gate that keeps the goondawindi grey (race horse) in its padock.

I guess it would if he was only a foot tall.

[Curly3]

Gunsynd, I think. From Scone.
As far as a gate goes, I have no idea.
Hang on, something to do with a thunderbox?

[mx250]

is it not the gate that keeps the goondawindi grey (race horse) in its padock.

I guess it would if he was only a foot tall.

I would guess it's a starting gate for MX of one kind or another.

[retrowrex]

I recall the Goondawindi gates to be what we see a lot of around now ayt MX starting lines, or me anyway especially at Conondale.  It is the gate that has a separate little section for each rider, and if they jump the start they generally have the gate on the front wheel holding them back while everyone else is on their merry way. They have to pull the bike back wards to allow the gate to drop and off they go. I recall the gates at Conondale in the early 80s and guess they were designed from someone from Goondawindi in the late 70s.

Retro

[Davey Crocket]

You got it Retro, another great Aussie invention they still use now. A self penalising gate to stop those who jump the start. Those country people are smart cookies It cost the Goondiwindi club $200 in materials to build. They also had the ballot system for start positions where you picked a number out of a bucket for your grid position which lined up against the number on the start gate. We still use that one as well. Should get to test the gate at Conondale this weekend.

[retrowrex]

See.  Not as smart as you think I am?

Retro.

[jimg1au]

you are right steve but the song called the horse The Goondiwindi Grey (The Gunsynd Song) by Tex Morton

[NSR]

I recall the gates at Conondale in the early 80s and guess they were designed from someone from Goondawindi in the late 70s.

The Conondale gates were desgined and built by Kelvin at http://www.metalink.net.au/ and have worked great.  They are mounted to a concrete slab.

I seem to recall the Goondawindi gates were portable and used at most of the SXs. 

[VMX247]

Belated trivia birthday for yesterday

quote;In 1976 The First Backward Falling Starting Gate Was Used. 

[Gibbit]

OLD THREAD REVIVAL!!!

I'm currently Vice President of the Goondiwindi MMC and thought I'd add a bit.

The gates where designed and built with the help of a  local farmer, Jeff Nixon (still in the area and still has a lot to do with running the North Star Trail ride).

They where portable and he did have a contract to supply them to both MX and SX.

I believe the original gates are now used at Dalby.  We still use a set today that are based on the original ones.

You may catch a glimpse of them in photos on our Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Goondiwindi-Motorcycle-Club-Inc/146839215371045?sk=timeline&ref=page_internal

[vintage815]

We, the Toowoomba Motorcycle Club, still have our set of Goondawindi Gates which served us well at Echo Valley for many, many years. We even transported them to use at the ISDE Final Moto Cross at Cessnock in 1992.  Great gates.

Lawrie