Junior drivers from around Australasia will be out to claim mini trotting glory this weekend at the Tamworth Paceway.
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Amongst those drivers will be the Coney clan – Jemma, Jye, Morgan and Nash – who will all compete at NSW Mini Trotting Championships over the Easter weekend.
The weekend will include a couple milestones with this year’s championships – the 34th edition – being Nash’s first and Jemma’s last.
Jemma – who recently moved to Tamworth from Nowra along with her family – has achieved plenty in her mini trotting career.
She’s won the Pony Miracle Mile, the Champion of Champions race at the championships and has even represented NSW in New Zealand.
Jemma’s now ready to take the step up to driving with the adults.
“I’ve just started driving the bigger ones [horses] and hopefully I can get my trial licence soon and start driving them,” Jemma said.
Jemma can also see herself training horses – just like her dad Greg – one day.
“Yeah, I think it’s good to learn different things. It’s good to be behind the scenes,” she said.
Horse registrations total 175 for the championships this weekend with junior drivers (aged 5-17) coming from Victoria, Queensland and New Zealand along with the 10 affiliated clubs within NSW.
More than 100 races will be conducted at the Tamworth Paceway commencing on Saturday, March 31 at 8am.
Races run every eight minutes with 60 races on day one and 47 races on day two – Sunday, April 1.
Section finals commence at 4.15pm on Saturday and will be the three final races of the day.
They are the Maureen Mordue Memorial Midgets Final, the Harness Racing NSW Shetlands Final and the Garrards Horse & Hound Ponies Final.
Sunday opens with the most prestigious race of the championships at 8am with the Rebecca Rutland Memorial Champion of Champions event.
This race features the three Saturday winning finalists – Midget, Shetland and Pony – racing against each other based on their Saturday handicap rating.
The Sunday finals start at 3.30pm with the Hazells Farm & Fertilizer Midgets, the Cabot Horse Transport/Short & Sharp Welding Shetlands and the Norman Valdez IT Websites Ponies followed by the Geoff & Denise Short Retiring Driver’s Race.
This race concludes the championships and is for junior drivers who have reached the age of 17 years and therefore leave the ranks of mini trotting.
Many go on to gain their licence to race in HRNSW senior events.
The NSWMTA acknowledged promotions and facilities manager of Tamworth Paceway Joanne Shepherd, the Tamworth Harness Racing Club and the multitude of local supporters who have made this event possible.
All visitors are very welcome to come to the paceway and view the outstanding skills of the junior drivers in race conditions. Entry is free over the duration of the two days.
