WHES Round 3: The Dardanup Dash delivered.

Make sure you are comfortable and have a full roll of toilet tissue because the Sherco Australia W.A. Hard Enduro Series Round 3: Dardanup Dash did dish up a dollop of spice that has left a number of riders with some serious ring sting.

Trials sensation Ben Walling, on the Moto Dynamics Beta X Trainer, absolutely digested the dish that was the Dardy Dash.

On the first pass of the timing tent it looked very much like sphincters were running all sorts of diameters as even the best of the best where wondering which way was which, and whether up was actually down. But by the time they had figured that out, Beta Australia Trials prodigy Ben Walling had taken pride of place on the porcelain, riding the Moto Dynamics Beta X Trainer.

Though big brother Ben did take the largest serve from the Dardy hot pot, younger brother Jack Walling (who entered as a Junior on an 85cc) wiped up Bronze like it was bread and dripping. Incredibly, he finished not only first in the Juniors, but 10th place among 35 other Bronze, Veteran and Women riders all racing on the same time clock. Jack is 13!

Brothers Walling: they came, they saw, they rode, they won.

Looking like he would have preferred a home cooked meal, rather than the dodgy vindaloo his home track threw up on him, Chase Lardner did not have the day he desired. However, he did come in safe and well to finish third on the podium.

He has to be happy with that as it creeps him further up the series leaderboard in his first year in Seniors AND in Gold.

Father, Andrew Lardner, was the winner of the Veterans class. Though Papa Lardner may have to reassess the balance between parenting and podium placings moving forward. He rode right on past his son who was temporarily laying prone at the crest of the massive rock step. I believe he quipped "what are you doing laying down (or something to that effect).

(Ed: Hey Chase, tell your old boy that he can be cheeky only if and when he too can splat that lip).

Chase Lardner stares back over his own property, wondering where in the pantry the ingredients for the perfect hard enduro track had been hiding all these years.

But the animal that ate all that the Dardanup Dash could dish out was Luke 'the Lab Rat' Abbott.

As your belly gurgles and your colon readies for the next passing, let us all take a moment to appreciate how hard this lad has worked to get on the second step of the podium in Gold. To set the scene I went straight to the Braaaaaap Daddy himself, Damien Pruden.

"We’ve trained a lot together, so I know exactly what he’s capable of. He’s come a long way in the last 12 months, arguably training harder than anyone else in the series."

I asked Pruden if he'll be looking over his shoulder for Luke in races to come.

"I’ve managed to hold him off with a few close calls Mt Turner 2025 and Toodyay 2024, but I know the time is definitely coming soon where he’ll finish on top and I’m @%$@$ excited for it!!".

I asked Luke "What's been the turning point that is making all the difference in your riding?"

"Before Mt Turner, I was riding a fair bit socially and did a few training sessions on my training loop in the weeks leading up to the event. I finished 4th behind Pruden and I was over the moon with this. All I ever want is to be competitive and let the top dogs know I’m there."

"Post-race, I got lazy. I thought I could rely on the bit of training and talent I had from the start of the season (oh, how wrong I was) to get me through Mildwood."

"On the super enduro at Mildwood, I felt like shit on the bike all day and couldn’t keep up with the pack. I struggled with arm pump and finished in 10th position, dropping me from 4th on the standings to 7th for the series."

"This left me with a fire burning."

To infinity and beyond: Luke Abbott nails the final step up to take his first ever step on the podium in Gold.

"I decided to get to work; head down, bum up from the weekend after Mildwood through to the Dardy Dash. I trained on the bike solo a minimum of 2 to 3 times per week on my training loop. This definitely helped with my confidence and fitness. Coming into an unknown track, I felt like I had done everything possible to be ready."

"I was right it worked!!!"

It did and the 'top dogs' now certainly know he is there.

Mixed meat in the Golden melting pot. Ben, Luke and Chase.

It was not just Gold where riders were proving their digestive systems can chew up and crap out what was probably one of the most technical tracks WHES now boasts on the calendar. Young Sienna Petrig just pushed on relentlessly to complete laps in both motos and finish first in the Women category, even though she left half of the front of her bike on the track in Moto 1.

Another well-deserved finish went to Alan Herbert in Bronze.

At about midday on the Friday before the event, Alan was stuck in the Kimberley where he had been using some of his other skills to save a threatened bird species. With flight delay after flight delay, the reality of a decent bike and body prep for Dardy was slipping.

Not your average race prep. Installing Gouldian Finch artificial nest boxes in the Kimberley 24 hours out from race start!

But he got to the start line and just went like a freight train to keep the other 30 something Bronze riders (half of which were 30 something years younger) at bay. Clearly, carrying a ladder up and down slopes in the Kimberely will suffice as digestive prep for a dish as spicy as Dardanup. Feel free to contact Animal Plant Mineral Pty Ltd if you too would like to sign up for some fresh air and a substantive digestive cleanse.

The ability to just push past anything. That is what gets you to the top of Bronze.

So, you (like me) are now probably at the end of the roll and have nothing left in the tank.

That said, make sure you can "spare a square" because Brookton is on the boil to bash your boulders in less than a month.

Looking forward to WHES Round 4 ladies and gents?