ST. GEORGE — Following the death of a dirt biker in a neighboring community, a California-based training facility established a scholarship for aspiring riders to honor the young man’s passion for the sport.
Ryder “Rydman” Colvin died Feb. 9 in a dirt bike crash at the Mesquite Motorcross Park in Littlefield, Arizona, St. George News previously reported.
“While Las Vegas was his home, he traveled all over the country racing dirt bikes,” his obituary reads. “He made friends everywhere he went and unknowingly touched so many lives.
“… Ryder was surrounded by so many people in his life that loved and appreciated his kind heart and his desire to be the best person he could be every day.”
Since his death, the moto community, a “very tight-knit” group, came together to offer Ryder Colvin’s family support, his mother, Monica Davis Colvin, told St. George News.
“It is a struggle every day,” she said. “Ryder is our only child and our whole world. Pretty much everything we did was as a family. It doesn’t make sense that such a good person would be taken so soon.”
While motocross is an individual sport, it requires support from family members, Monica Colvin said, adding that the time they spent together was invaluable. To that end, Ryder Colvin’s family is supportive of the scholarship.
Between entry fees, camping and accommodations, gas, training, gear and other expenses, going to nationals can cost up to $30,000, and without “factory support, families go in(to) debt,” Monica Colvin said.
“Moto was Ryder’s passion and we have always supported that,” she said. “He would want to help someone go chase their passion. … We hope that the scholarship will grow each year so we can help more kids that are chasing their dreams.”
Grindstone Compound, a training facility designed for aspiring motocross athletes, announced the Ryder Colvin Loretta Lynn Scholarship on Instagram, writing that one rider who earned their ticket to the Monster Energy AMA Amateur National Motocross Championship will be chosen on July 1.
“Ryder’s goal when he was young was to go to ‘The Ranch,'” the post reads. “In 2020 Ryder went to Grindstone to go to work. His dedication, passion, and commitment are what I loved most, aside from his infectious smile! He was driven to accomplish a goal and he did just that! He was an example that hard work pays off! In 2021, he earned his tickets and raced Loretta Lynn’s!”
The road wasn’t easy, Monica Colvin wrote on her Instagram page, RDC Racing. In October 2020, the racer broke his leg, requiring surgery, and it “was an uphill battle from there.” He attended qualifiers in early 2021 but had fallen behind while in recovery.
“But with hard work and determination, (he) was able to overcome and earn his tickets,” she wrote.
Once qualified, he began preparation but in June, Ryder Colvin dislocated his shoulder while playing basketball. “Determined to overcome,” Monica Colvin said he participated in physical therapy every day before leaving for Tennessee.
In Oklahoma, he dislocated his shoulder a second time in an “awkward practice crash” — this time one week before the race.
“Some would have thrown in the towel, but not Ryd,” she wrote. “He wanted to finish what he started. On to Tennessee. Shoulder braces, lots of tape, and a ton of determination (and) Ryd was lining up with the top riders in the country.”
During the first day’s second race, the racer wrecked, and “between the shoulder and that crash, it was hard to push,” his mother states.
“His love for the sport and competitive nature kept him going to pursue his goals,” she said. “That’s what this award is all about. The kid that demonstrates the ability to push on no matter what. We appreciate everyone that has stuck with Ryder through it all and saw the person he was beyond the helmet and dirt bike.”
After receiving word of his death, Grindstone Compound knew what it “wanted to do in his honor” and partnered with FMF to create the award in his name, according to their post.
“We are looking for one individual that mirrors the type of athlete that Ryder was,” the facility wrote. “The scholarship amount will be a surprise to one lucky individual.”
To apply for the scholarship, qualifying dirt bikers should send a direct message to Grindstone Compound on Instagram, stating why they would be the best representative of Ryder Colvin at “The Ranch” in 2023.
To donate to the fund, visit Cari Schehr’s Venmo here.
Photo Gallery
Ryder Colvin visits Loretta Lynn's ranch, Tennessee, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Monica Davis Colvin, St. George News Ryder Colvin visits Loretta Lynn's ranch, Tennessee, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Monica Davis Colvin, St. George News Ryder Colvin visits Loretta Lynn's ranch, Tennessee, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Monica Davis Colvin, St. George News Ryder Colvin visits Loretta Lynn's ranch, Tennessee, date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Monica Davis Colvin, St. George News Ryder Colvin qualifies for the race at Loretta Lynn's ranch, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Monica Davis Colvin, St. George News Ryder Colvin qualifies for the race at Loretta Lynn's ranch, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Monica Davis Colvin, St. George News Ryder Colvin qualifies for the race at Loretta Lynn's ranch, location and date unspecified | Photo courtesy of Monica Davis Colvin, St. George News
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