Young BMX riders steal the show at the Paris Fair Finale

Louie Vlasic, 10, of Paris, shows off his BMX skills during the motocross finale at the Paris Fall Fair on Labour Day Monday. The Grade 5 student was among a group of young riders invited to perform alongside professional athletes.

Casandra Turnbull

Managing Editor

The closing day of the Paris Fall Fair ended with a burst of energy and hometown pride as local BMX riders took to the track alongside professional athletes, thrilling the crowd with big air and fearless stunts.

Among them was 10-year-old Louie Vlasic, a Grade 5 student at Holy Family School in Paris, who has been riding since he was barely out of training wheels. Louie and his friend, nine-year-old Oscar Haw of Glenn Morris, capped off the motocross show on Labour Day Monday — a moment his parents say will be remembered for years.

“We were so incredibly proud of them,” said Louie’s mother, Shelley Vlasic. “To see the younger kids jumping at the fencing cheering them on and then high-fiving them as they rode past after they jumped was just amazing. They even signed autographs after the show. It was an epic way to end the summer.”

Louie has been hooked on BMX since he was three years old and quickly progressed to bigger ramps and more daring tricks. He trains weekly at Joyride 150, an indoor bike park in Markham, with coach Lawson Turner of BMXLETE Academy. He’s already mastered moves like the 180, Alley-oop and 360, and is working toward tailwhips, bar spins and his goal of landing a backflip by the end of next year.

“Louie is, for lack of a better word, obsessed with BMXing,” said Vlasic. “If he isn’t on his bike, he’s watching his favourite pro riders learning new tricks. The more he progresses, the harder it is to watch some of his stunts — he’ll drop into a nine-foot quarter pipe without thinking twice.”

The chance to perform at the Paris Fair came through connections with the pro riders who headlined the weekend shows, including Mike Varga, Ben Mallette, Xavier Wright and Turner. Louie and Oscar regularly train with Turner and were invited to join the lineup on closing day.

For Louie, the experience was unforgettable.

“I was a bit nervous but also really excited,” he said. “It was a really incredible experience and I can’t wait to do it again.”

The young rider says what he loves most about BMX is the freedom. “There aren’t a lot of rules. It’s me and my bike, I can create my own line and change it every time,” Louie said. “When I fall, I always get back up and try it again.”

He also has advice for kids who want to follow in his tracks: “Have fun. Keep practicing. When you fall, get back on your bike and try again. Find a buddy to ride with and that will push you to try harder.”

Louie’s parents say their family rarely leaves the house without a bike in tow, whether for practice sessions in Paris, Ayr or Waterford, or for competitions and training farther afield.

“We encouraged his passion and supported him by taking him to different bike parks to get lots of seat time,” said Vlasic. “The BMX community is awesome — everyone is super supportive and encouraging. Riders are always cheering each other on and celebrating their successes.”

As the fairgrounds emptied on Monday evening, Louie left with a few scrapes, a fistful of autographs — and a hometown crowd already eager to see what tricks he’ll master next.