Big Jim Durham (left) presents Will Barclay with a mock check for his winnings (Photo: Ken Bingenheimer)
Calling Will Barclay the "toughest motorcycle rider on the planet at the moment," Big Jim Durham/Redcloud presented the winner of the Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge with a huge, admittedly rubber check tonight at the Broken Spoke Campground outside of Sturgis. Durham also announced that there will be a second Hoka Hey next year, with a $1 million prize for the winner.
Barclay announced previously that he had already received his prize money. The ceremony tonight was held to celebrate the event. A number of Hoka Hey riders were on hand to applaud Durham and Barclay.
Will Barclay with Jim Durham and other Hoka Hey riders (Photo: Ken Bingenheimer)
Responding to skeptics who charged that the event was a fraud and no winner would ever be paid, Barclay said that Durham "was dying to pay out early." He said he finished the final polygraph test at 8 p.m. and by 9:05 a.m. the next day the $500,000 was in his bank account.
Durham also said that his cousin, who lives on the Lakota reservation, and who had not had water in her house for 15 years, now has water. Drilling wells to bring water to homes on the reservation was one of the stated uses for the money raised by the event.
"Last week she turned on the faucet in her kitchen and water came out of it," he said.
Next year's Hoka Hey, said Durham, will cover 10,000 miles from San Diego to Nova Scotia: 15 days, 10,000 miles, and 3 countries. The web site for the new event will go up very soon, he said.
"Hoka Hey! God damn it, let's do it again!" said Durham to cheers from the crowd.
Related articles:
Hoka Hey Challenge launches from Key West, headed for Homer, Alaska
Quebec City's Robert Peterson sole(?) Canadian in Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge
Quick update on Hoka Hey; first day crashes
Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge generates controversy, skepticism
Friends and families connect in search for info about Hoka Hey riders
First Hoka Hey riders reach Homer; first to arrive not necessarily winner
Hoka Hey organizers call event successful, planning party
For most riders, Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge was about the ride
No winner named for Hoka Hey on July 4
Redcloud says Hoka Hey winner will be named Aug. 11 in Sturgis
No Hoka Hey award ceremony to be held at Black Hills Harley-Davidson
FBI will have no involvement in determining Hoka Hey winner
Ogalala Sioux disavow connection with Hoka Hey
Hoka Hey award to winner key to potential fraud investigation -- FBI
William Barclay declared winner of Hoka Hey, to receive cash via wire
Hoka Hey award ceremony held at Broken Spoke at Sturgis rally
No money for charities from Hoka Hey
Comments
I am currently waiting reply to my formal complaint filed against the HHMC organizers. That reply should be in my mailbox today. Big Jim, your a liar. I don't care that you paid out the money. I don't care that you have put on a big show to validate yourself. You exploited Veterans charities and YOU will have to live with that for the rest of your life. I don't know how you sleep at night! There are many that see through your BS smoke screen. This was not all about the money, as you have said so many times...but, at the end of the day, you consider it a job well done to have paid out the 500K. Never mind the Veterans charities that weren't mentioned at the riders meeting in KW or SD. Your a liar, plain and simple. I will pray for you Jim. You have made a name for yourself. You will be forever be remembered as the guy who promoted an event to bring awareness to the Veterans and instead, brought water to one house! What a joke! Pat yourself on the back. Job well done! lol...poor Beth,
I bet you would have thought this race was better planned if you had been a hard rider and won the $500,000! What a bunch of whining pussies! You lost, Barclay won! Been riding all my life and it takes one helluva man to make this kind of trek! Pray for yourself that you wont be such a bad loser in the future! Looks to me that Big Jim is one helluva promoter! Barclay came, he rode, he won & got paid....end of story. Congrats to Barclay and all the others who even attempted this ride without whining!
By all accounts this race was poorly organized and badly run. Even after 2 years of "planning" so many critical details were left to the last minute, up to and including scraping together the prize money. Now Mr. Durham claims this will double in size and scope. He couldn't get enough "warriors" to fill his coffers the first time, how will he accomplish doubling the size of a subsequent race given the incompetent handling of this race? The legitimacy of the first race has not been proven yet, how could anyone consider trusting him a second time?
I agree How much money was given to the Vets that you claimed you were going to donate money too. I think we shall call them today and find out. A body is Sacred even after death the remains are disposed of in a sacred ceremony. After reading the Great Buffalo Capper article I don’t understand if you are a true Indian Big Jim how could you Put a human skeleton on Cross and engraved the bones with Christian symbols as you did with the Buffalo skeleton. And sell both to Ripples believe it or not museum for a very nice 3 digit amount of money. If you were so concerned with the Indians having water why did you not use that money to provide water to them?
Ken, It was great seeing you at Sturgis. Good write-up on the HHMC. We've got the video from the night coming in an hour at the Lake Weir Living YouTube page.
Ride safe, and stay in touch!
- Neil & Adriana
The Challenge is being run by different people next year. Jeri, your complaint will go nowhere because they will recognize you for the religious nut case you are. Go away.
Just a short note. The money ONLY appears to have been paid. The whole thing is a farse. I have audio PROOF of a hidden recording (illegal? YEP! But I am only TOO HAPPY do some "easy time" in the joint)I did shortly after we met. You are too stupid to even know that they make recording devices the size of an eraser head on the end of a pencil, that could EASILY fit on a light fixture in YOUR kitchen (hint hint) and the battery is STILL good after sitting in YOUR kitchen for 3 months!!!
What I find amazing is....You claim to be a cream of the crop "NAVY SEAL" and you didn't even know OR find the mic I put there when you went to get your "priceless native artifact"!!
Guess what Jimbo....YOU ARE GOING TO JAIL! AND I am holding ALL the cards! It's a waiting game now buddy! What's your next move?
I'm Flabbergasted.
I don't know what to think, but still, it seems that something is just not right in this whole deal.
?2010 Hoka Hey Motorcycle Challenge at Broken Spoke Campground during the 70th Annual Sturgis Rally. Durham awards Barclay $500k as winner. Video of ceremony:
www.lakeweirlivingblog.com
I'm still skeptical as well.
Antizealot, We'll see.... :-P
Supporting these charities (listed on the official Hoka Hey website) is what prompted many if not most of the participants to enter the Hoka Hey race:
Paralyzed Veterans of America
Warrior Weekend
Disabled American Veterans
Vietnam Veterans of America
How much money have these charities received?
Why was an escrow account for the $500,000 prize set up AFTER the race instead of before?
Why has there been absolutely no accounting of funds since the race was first announced over two years ago?
Why were there no Hoka Hey officials at the finish line when the race was won?
Why have the families of the deceased not been contacted by Hoka Hey organizers?
Where is the photo Durham claims as proof of the "photo finish" result?
Why is there no published list of finishers?
And the list goes on and on.
Anyone who thinks that simply awarding the prize exonerates the organizers of all improprieties associated with this illegal race hasn't done their homework.
For those who weren't there, see the Hoka Hey award ceremony in Sturgis on Aug 11th. Video:
www.lakeweirlivingblog.com
All I can say,
Ha ha Ha Ha,
The biggest farce on the map, only succeeded by Obama's new NY tower.
Ha, Ha, Ha ,Ha, Nicely done.
Spontaneous walking bed sheet combustion could only surpass it.
Hooka Tooka My Hoka Hey Money?
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!