Kirri and Andrew are MotoGP devotees. They watch every race of the season, and their collection of memorabilia is an enduring record of their obsession.
The walls of the shed on their Phillip Island property are adorned with MotoGP memorabilia and the couple’s devotion to the sport has seen the collection steadily grow over the years. “We’ve collected bits and pieces along the way, and when we go through the stuff, we remember the events, or when we met the riders,” Andrew said.
Every part of it represents a moment in the couple’s enduring love affair with the MotoGP. Like the massive picture of Casey Stoner on his Ducati, which Kirri spotted in a motorcycle shop in Sydney. “I told them it was old news, because he doesn’t ride for them anymore,” she laughed. “I said you should give it to me. I gave them 10 minutes to think about it and when I came back, they pulled it off the wall and handed to me.”
Similarly, Kirri sweet-talked her way into a life-size cardboard cut-out of Valentino Rossi. “That one was at the football club in Cowes,” explained Andrew. “We went there for dinner one night and the bloke on the door gave it to her.”
A T-shirt and hat signed by Andrea Dovizioso came into the collection after the couple spotted the Italian rider in a restaurant. “We were sitting at table 4, which is his number, so I held up the number 4 sign and waved,” Kirri said.
Also gracing the walls are riders’ photos, and a 10 metre Yamaha banner, as well as three GP flags that adorned the Phillip Island bridge in 2013, 2014 and 2016.
Over the years, they’ve met plenty of riders while at dinner, and spotted many more. While their MotoGP love spreads to all the riders, including the Moto2 and Moto3 competition, Australian champ Casey Stoner holds a special spot in their hearts.
As well as the big photo from the Sydney shop, there’s a number 27 flag, which they took to the track in 2012 for Stoner’s last ride. “Kirri got a number 27 flag and an Australian flag, and we got a three-metre piece of dowl and she carried it to the track on the back of my bike,” Andrew explained. “We had a seat up the back of the grandstand on what’s now Casey Stoner corner and we took this three-metre -high thing with the flags and tied it to the top of the stand. It ended up on the TV coverage, and then we brought it back home, flying it from the back of the bike.”
They both nominate the photo of Stoner with his Ducati as their favourite piece in the collection.
“One day, we’ve got to get him to come here and sign it,” Andrew laughs.