New annual BSB Breakthrough Award announced in honour of late Keith Farmer

A new award, created in honour of the late Keith Farmer, has been announced for the Irish Motorbike Awards.

The new BSB Breakthrough Award will be presented for the first time next week, and was announced today by the British Superbike Championship, who have worked on it in collaboration with BSB promoter MotorSport Vision Racing (MSVR) and the Irish Motorbike Awards.

The award will be presented to the rider who “is deemed to have made the biggest impact over the season,” the announcement from BSB reads.

The announcement adds that the award “will continue to recognise and celebrate future riders from Northern Ireland or the Republic of Ireland making their mark,” within the BSB paddock.

British Superbike Championship, Stuart Higgs, said: “The new BSB Breakthrough Award is the result of a collaboration between BSB promoter MSVR and the organisers of the Irish Motorbike Awards in Keith Farmer’s honour and will annually recognise and celebrate future riders making their mark within the Bennetts British Superbike Championship and support classes.

“Keith made a lasting impression on everyone involved in BSB and this award will keep his memory to the forefront.”

Farmer, from Clogher in Northern Ireland, found substantial success in the BSB paddock, winning the National Superstock 600 title in 2011, the National Superstock 1000 title in 2012 and 2018, and the British Supersport Championship in 2017. During his career, he’d also ridden in the Superbike class for prominent teams such as TAS Racing, Paul Bird Motorsport, and Hawk Racing.

The Northern Irishman died at the age of 35 in 2022, and had announced his retirement from professional racing during the 2021 season.