▁Zealand , ▁att ending ▁Pal mer ston ▁North ▁Boys ' ▁High ▁School . ▁Starting ▁out ▁in ▁mot oc ross ▁racing , ▁he ▁followed ▁in ▁the ▁foot steps ▁of ▁his ▁father ▁Dave ▁Sher wood , ▁who ▁was ▁a ▁professional ▁speed way ▁rac er . ▁Sher wood ' s ▁love ▁for ▁speed ▁and ▁ad ren al ine ▁translated ▁into ▁his ▁move ▁to ▁fre est yle ▁mot oc ross . ▁He ▁started ▁r iding ▁motor b ikes ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 4 . ▁At ▁ 1 2 ▁years ▁old ▁he ▁was ▁invited ▁to ▁ride ▁on ▁the ▁Cr ust y ▁Dem ons ▁Austral as ian ▁tour , ▁giving ▁him ▁a ▁taste ▁of ▁professional ▁fre est yle . ▁ ▁Career ▁▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁In ▁March , ▁Sher wood ▁was ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁negoti ating ▁a ▁spons or ship ▁deal ▁with ▁Red ▁Bull ▁when ▁a ▁r ider ▁with d rew ▁from ▁the ▁X - F igh ters ▁series , ▁back ed ▁by ▁the ▁drink s ▁company . ▁He ▁was ▁offered ▁the ▁unexpected ▁chance ▁to ▁fill ▁in . ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 7 , ▁Sher wood ▁competed ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁professional ▁event ▁and ▁clin ically ▁beat ▁the ▁best ▁rid ers ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁ 4 2 , 0 0 0 , ▁winning ▁the ▁opening ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Bull ▁X - F igh ters ▁in ▁Mexico . ▁He ▁rode ▁a ▁K X 4 5 0 F , ▁the ▁only ▁four - stroke ▁that ▁had ▁ever ▁been ▁seen ▁in ▁at ▁the ▁huge ▁competition .