From the May/June 2011 issue of ATV Rider Magazine
In our May/June 2010 issue we first told you about the Moore brothers’ (Caleb and Colten) historic crossover from ATVs to snowmobiles in order to compete at the Winter X Games. At that time, the freestyle duo had spent roughly a month aboard sleds, yet somehow managed not only to qualify for but medal at the event (Freestyle bronze for Caleb). Coming into 2011’s Winter X Games 15, it was time for the Texans to prove that 2010 was no fluke and that the year of experience hadn’t been wasted. What no one expected (except maybe for the Moores themselves) was that they would steal the show.
The last week of January 2011 will go down in history as something special. Why exactly, I’m not sure, but what we witnessed was surely historic. To be honest, no one but the Moore brothers and their inner circle was certain of what would happen at this year’s X Games. Despite residing on the fringe of that circle, I wasn’t sure of what might go down, and while I certainly hoped they’d do well at the games while carrying the entire ATV freestyle community on their backs, I didn’t expect to witness history.
A lot has happened with the Moore boys in the last 12 months since their Winter X debut. As one can only imagine, the title X Games athlete can do tons for your career, and the Moores’ management team hasn’t let that fact go unnoticed. Last year was busy for Caleb; despite suffering multiple broken bones and injuries he stayed on the road with the Crusty Demons Tour in Australia, while Colten joined the U.S.-based Nuclear Cowboyz Tour. Whenever there were gaps on their respective tours the brothers filled those dates with freestyle shows both domestically and abroad. On top of that, they opened up their lives to a film crew while filming for a yet untitled reality show based on their freestyle exploits and started their own clothing company, Slang Co.
Winter X 15: Snowmobile Freestyle
The freestyle competition took place on Thursday, January 27, and it was immediately apparent that this year would be different
Colten and Caleb Moore have...
Colten and Caleb Moore have put ATV FMX on the map. The funny thing is; they’ve done it on sleds.
Unlike last year, the brothers looked way more confident and ready. The month leading up to the event was spent in Minnesota at the home of longtime friend Ben Bettis and his roommate Jay Webber. This allowed the brothers to train and hone their skills in a comfortable (almost family-like) environment, and the results of that training were immediately obvious. A confident Caleb is a dangerous Caleb, and while little brother Colten’s class clown persona seems a bit more laid-back, the truth is he might be even more competitive and intense than his brother when it comes to honing his craft.
Afternoon practice went down without a hitch, and you could almost see their competitors’ wind being taken out of their sails. While most everyone else put on their poker faces and practiced tentatively in an attempt to conceal their hands, the Moores threw their cards (well, most of them) on the table and stomped trick after trick with little regard for the poker game everyone else was playing. The question in the pits (and press center) was what it might be that they were holding back. The atmosphere in the Moore pits, on the other hand, was relaxed; every few minutes it seemed like there was an airport run, and trip by trip, the entourage and confidence level simultaneously grew. By competition time, 30 hand-selected members of the Moore family and the Bomb Squad freestyle team were on hand, all waving Texas flags and all personally invited by Wade Moore, father of the brothers.