AS THE 2006 speedway season in the South East got underway in near arctic conditions at Hertfordshire’s Rye House track, young Kentish talent was to the fore.

It was refreshing to see 13 English riders out of the 14 representing Rye House and Mildenhall in a division - the Premier League - often dominated by overseas riders.

No less than six of these were either from Kent or had first ridden as junior members at Iwade-based Sittingbourne Crusaders.

Top scorer for the victorious homesters in the Herts/Suffolk Cup was Canterbury-born reigning Conference Riders champ, Stevie Boxall, ably backed up by another graduate of the Old Gun Site mini and main-track training set-up and himself reigning British Under 21 champion, Ed Kennett.

Another teenager who began his racing career in Kent, Jamie Courtney made his home debut for the senior Rye House side.

Topping Boxall’s 13 point haul, with a return of 14 for the Mildenhall Fen Tigers was Daniel King, a rider from Maidstone -accompanied in the fenland side by older brother Jason - who first rode at Sittingbourne. Joining the King brothers in the Mildenhall outfit was Orpington-born Barry Burchatt.

Continuing the Sittingbourne theme, the second half featured 2005 Crusader, Dan Blake, plus fellow Sittingbourne club graduates, Trevor Heath and Lee Strudwick.