Harrison

You also get fined in NZ if you drop your foot during the running, unless it was clear you got unbalanced due to an incident & you would definitely get in trouble if you had done it so as to make a connection with the horses back leg. Having your leg down at the beginning of a stand is how all drivers get taught to get their horse away, for the sake of maintaining balance, especially with a young trotter. I believe so long as you have your leg up before the bend there is no concern with that & that is the way it has been done for years.

I got dragged by a horse this time last year and ripped my shoulder out. Kept working and driving for 6 months but was having a fair bit of trouble holding some and working in general; which I don’t want to make mistakes/ not do my best. Knew it wasn’t good turned out I had a huge hole in the labrum, ripped a ligament off the joint and kept recurrently dislocating it and got to the point I couldn’t really lift it at all so have been off since Hawera meeting awaiting surgery. Long process with nz healthcare but had surgery end of may five screws in the bone and all the ligaments etc sewed onto the bone (quite cool what they can do). Unfortunately rehab is a very lengthy process, and if I re injure it my odds of race driving again probably aren’t good. But hoping to be back working in November, unsure how long until I’ll be able to race drive but hopefully end of the year all going well. Have just start weights this week so hopefully will tick that 100 off next year. Very hard watching on the sidelines. Still have been at most race meetings supporting the team and my friends and my own trotter has been racing ok.

Personally I was surprised they didn’t ask her what her thought process was just so they could show her what was expected of her in the future & use it as a teaching moment at least. But as to punters watching I would believe the junior beside her name would elude to lack of experience and if you wanted a decent punt on it you would do your homework both into her driving & the fact that the filly isn’t able to work in her races & wasn’t overly suited by the conditions. Which is why you see so many punters following Blair, David, Sarah etc.. even when they’re on a horse that’s not so great because experience counts for a lot. As for your comment re feedback. A senior driver/ trainer is obviously going to give constructive criticism which as a driver you have to take and learn from and move on. Generally quite different to reading on the internet that it was “dumbest drive ever” or “worst drive they’ve seen for 12 months” and other comments here that I know would upset many young drivers if they read them. Unfortunately as a driver you do need to grow thick skin, but it doesn’t mean it is necessary to write such things and that drivers should have to cop it. We are all human people tend to make mistakes & generally we are our own harshest critics and know when we stuffed up. The main thing is that you learn from it realise what you did wrong and don’t repeat the same mistake. And I’m sure Kristina will realise in the future why that’s not a great option. My point was generally any driver will tell you they make much better decisions when they are self confident and confident in their horses abilities. The wheels often fall off when for whatever reason things are going wrong and they’re having a bad run. Also pretty sure I’ve won quite a lot of races from 3 fence & definitely placed in a hell of a lot of races where I was meant to have no chance for this race. Generally gaps do open up more often than not, as I said in this particular race it was more that the leaders went so hard they were always going to come back to the field & I also don’t think Kristina had driven in a race run upside down like that before in her defence she thought those two horses were two of the better chances in the race, which would have been correct if they hadn’t of gone so hard so as I say just learning to judge tempo and when is and isn’t the right time to make a move or save ground.

The filly is a horse that needs to be driven for luck. Unfortunately in this instance it wasn’t the right decision but if the gap had of opened up as it often does, she would’ve saved a lot of ground and likely gone close to winning, rather than coming 7 wide in the slush and everyone would be saying what a good drive it was. Unfortunately for more experienced drivers as the lead pair had gone so hard early, they were always likely to fall in her lap as happened. So therefore better to come wide given the late sectionals ended up being the slowest. But when it’s that wet out it’s often hard to see which horses are doing what and she was a long way off them early and thought she needed to save ground & the filly is very small making it harder for her to get through the wet track. As to the comment about her being saved for a junior race. She’s a 3yo filly and not eligible for junior driver races, she was there to win. Just didn’t work out and I’m sure Kristina will learn from it, she’s been driving well for someone new to the game and she does her best to learn from any errors. Personally I think it’s pretty hard for young drivers who already know they’ve made mistakes to come on the internet and read comments about their drives. It takes time to learn things like judging pace and watching for what the leaders are doing, whose parked/ whose done too much work etc… and deciding where the best run is to take in a split second. So while your entitled to your opinion and to ask the question and none of this is too bad, I just think you should remember if you would like people making public comments when you make a mistake at your job & that you’re already beating yourself up over… as people tend to make more mistakes when they’re lacking confidence in their own abilities.

It will be interesting to see who gets the positions, I hope there are some top horsemen who are willing to share their knowledge with those coming through No I don’t, I’m definitely one of many who have pushed for a better training program for young drivers over the years. I think if you don’t have a direct family connection: your boss is a top level driver etc there can be a lot to be learnt from others, and more knowledge is always better! I know when I began in the industry I found it hard to approach good senior drivers as I was shy/ wasn’t sure if it was a stupid question/ afraid to be judged that sort of thing and I know many other juniors feel the same way. I have been fortunate enough that I approached a very successful senior driver who has gone through my drives and given me a lot of feedback for the last 3/4 years and helped when I needed a confidence boost, or criticism when it was required. But it is difficult to find the right person that isn’t too harsh and causes a lack of confidence but is a very good teacher and not afraid to give advice at the same time. I also think it plainly shows which juniors have good mentors and do their best to learn and better themselves & which juniors have very little support. I also think it’s good for juniors to have a driving mentor outside of their bosses as obviously sometimes bosses have vested interests and can be more upset if a drive goes wrong, so it can be more difficult to approach/ have a conversation you can learn from without it being harsh or feeling uncomfortable about the topic I can only see it as a good thing if they are able to implement the right people. It is then up to the young people to use this service to their advantage. And I think you can never stop learning in the industry. I have had two very good bosses and I also talk to both my senior mentor and friends who are top level drivers, but you can always learn more from others and learning from the best of the best is invaluable

We mostly have yearlings and 2yo’s at present. Will be stepping out about 12 at the trials tomorrow so will hopefully have a good sized team over summer 😊 just most our race team went south for cup week etc. and we raced a few at Palmerston North last night Think the way the calendar has fallen a lot of teams are in a similar boat, better horses have headed south and so other racehorses had a wee break before their summer campaigns which is why we’re light on numbers tonight

Also I tend to agree, the loss of the hobby trainer & driver has largely led to the demise of the sport in the North Island. While it may make for a better spectacle it has taken the grass roots, feel good, excitement out of a lot of our racing & left with two/ three big stables & a more “work” dominated industry than the social fun that attracts attention & young people towards the industry. Unfortunately it seems the South Island is beginning to follow in these foot steps, but hopefully something can be done to reinvigorate the industry going forward

I think you’ll find the feed back for driving tutors has largely come from the juniors themselves, who are always looking to improve and would appreciate having a senior mentor! Always room for learning and growing & the better the overall quality of drivers we produce the better the spectacle, better turnover etc! It’s a tough game to get started in & there is a need for mentors who drivers who don’t have a good support system in place can feel comfortable to approach. Its hard for the young ones, when they make a mistake and people are critical and they’re in need of advice so an impartial mentor can only be an asset going forward & if done right will be of huge benefit for those coming through. I don’t think in anyway it is saying those there aren’t hugely talented & it is awesome to see the likes of Sarah, Carter, Ben etc getting such great opportunities at the highest level and showing that they are up to it. But this is more for those starting out at trials etc and in the early years of their careers. Can only be of benefit to those coming through the industry. There’s also only so much you can learn at the trials, race day is very, very different and some struggle with the pressure both that they put on themselves & from others around them. I think constructive criticism and support are both important things for all drivers moving forward surely.

I’m not sure! I think this was the first instance after the Sheryl Wigg case that they were used as an official independent appeals committee rather than the RIB

The appeals board is now seperate, total new thing following in front the Wigg case! Much more professional! I believe it was the chief Stipendiary stewards decision mostly by the sounds of it. But it seems ridiculous in nz court you can’t re apply after high court decision

Yes I know the guy that found me not guilty was not happy that they appealed his decision as he has many years experience. They were essentially saying the horse was uncontrollable up to that point then suddenly became easy to control and I just let it happen. Which is beyond me. But the new appeals board were very good very professional and they let us both have our say and it felt a lot more fair than the prior hearing situation was

I wasn’t Convicted the appeals tribunal also dismissed the stewards case thankfully. They found as did the adjudicative committee that the horses racing manners were at fault

Andrew’s averaged 41 drives a season as a junior, hardly enough drives to say he’s taking away from any kids starting out! This is one of few smart decisions made by HRNZ to try help out the junior driver numbers which is dwindling significantly over the past ten years, as there is hardly no new drivers coming through! Unfortunately it is very tough for juniors to make it as senior drivers and our study found only around 5% of juniors in the last 15 years have successfully ‘made it’ as senior drivers. There are also many drivers such as Monika Ranger & Devon van Til, who have only started their careers in their late 20s, which means they would’ve only been able to drive for two/three years before losing their juniors, making it virtually impossible for them to become successful senior drivers with very little experience. This is one of the main reasons why HRNZ has extended the age limit to 30, if you haven’t driven 100 winners

Lochinvar Art 28 wins $1,404,556 Self assured 26 wins $1,777,581 Copy that 24 wins $968,574 Majestic cruiser 22 wins $566,403 Spankem 21 wins $1,816,854 Classie brigade 21 wins $595,207 Krug 17 wins $694,003 Henry Hubert 14 wins $368,738 South coast Arden 13 wins $490,622 Cranbourne 12 wins $103,308 AG’s Whitesocks 12 wins $585,453 Pembrook playboy 11 wins $169,000 Kango 10 wins $217,032 Hot and treacherous 10 wins $225,190 Bad to the bone 10 wins $307,772 Laver 9 wins $150,795 Smiffy’s Terror 8 wins $84,486 Altawise guy? 8 wins $136,573 AllAmericanlover 8 wins $102,132 Hezasport 7 wins $80,540 Bd joe 7 wins $212,227 Heisenberg 7 wins $210,178 Di caprio 7 wins $94,212 The falcon 6 wins $134,082 Old town road 6 wins $56,160 Christianshavtime 6 wins $43,450 Steel the show 6 wins $141,928 Terry 6 wins $59,712 Coravally star 6 wins $92,809 Akuta? 8 wins $450,580 Franco indie 6 wins $159,374 One change? 18 wins $643, 451 personally I think if most these horses make it to the cup in top form then it’s going to be a very good competitive race. So very good stayers In this line up which should make for a genuine race. At least the top 25 are all at a minimum placed at group level multiple times It was a very good staying race last night , & that horse (Hezasport) has always been a nice horse & after a freshen up he showed he’s come back as a genuine open class type. Some horses just take a bit to adjust to racing the big guns a lot of the horses that will be racing in the cup are still yet to step out this season, so you hardly can say it’s not a nice bunch. There’s some very very good horses racing & last year people said the same, but 80% of the field had won over ten races. It’s probably more a reflection that it’s hard to win ten races. For example one of our 3 win horses had to race copy that last week, and he raced well but it becomes hard for him to get to ten wins when he’s straight in to an open class field after a handful of starts

Yeah their wording wasn’t great, but it actually wasn’t how they approached the situation at all. I believe Salish only said his sulky wheel was punctured at the 500m he never actually said it was from me contacting it and nor did he in the room. When he turned his head was when Tony’s horse came over top of my cart it made a massive noise so whether that did slightly also shove me in to his wheel I don’t know I never felt contact & he never said I did & on the video it looks like I never touched it and they watched it ten times over. It was actually a South Island Stipendiary steward officiating the meeting & has been often in the last year & I believe mr Mulcay has been down south often also. To be honest I’ve watched Maurice’s drive a lot and well obviously it was the wrong call at the end of the day I can see why he made that decision at the time as his horse clearly laboured when Harder than Diamonds sprinted on the turn & he lost its back by perhaps a length and a half so maybe that’s what Jay meant why drivers would make that decision when they weren’t travelling well. Unfortunately after it obviously managed to find its speed and finish on strongly when the gaps closed and possibly would’ve ran a place if he had kept following the winner. But I don’t really believe the stipes differ as I said the stewards at the park have often been the South Island stewards running it, as was the case last week

There was actually never any evidence I hit the wheel at all head on video footage clearly shows I was clear of the wheel and horse paced fluently and never skipped a beat. AGH horse hung in and made heavy contact with me breaking my mudguard and damaging my sulky when I was outside the wheel of the other horse which shunted me close to the outside of the wheel when contact occurred but again never any evidence of contact to John Waynes wheel. Salish also agreed there was no evidence of contact in the room and sometimes wheels just go down or the tiny bump when I was contacted by other horse could’ve been enough. They weren’t ever going to charge me as I did nothing wrong and was clearly clear of the wheel when I made my move

It is a result of the horse being too far up in the sulky, but they tend to be a lot worse if they come out fired up already and you’re trying to restrain them when they get tense they seem to swing more and hit the discs. Often they look like they’re very far away and won’t touch but when they get running around the bends at full speed some pacers especially tend to swing a leg out and that is generally when they will hit, unless they’re up way too close. With some really big horses you actually have to get especially long carts made & use extensions. You wouldn’t really notice in the warm up unless they’re far too close. sure big stables should often use same cart/ know where horse goes over time. But I guess many trainers probably borrow carts/ or use different carts week to week if there are multiple runners in & this is generally where you strike trouble and some carts are also wider than others & so that’s when they need to be out longer. Also sometimes horses that are big don’t swing at all and can go up short and be good as gold it really just depends On their action & the cart so that’s probably why you often see it happen.

You’re allowed to push out & down in the first 400m of a race & in the last 1000m of the race. Which many senior drivers do especially when they can do it to junior drivers who are Learning. If they have a nose advantage over you you’re meant to concede your position but in reality you are usually nose to nose and both trying as hard as you can to have that position. Which in the case of a Trotter can easily cause it to break. Certainly in most cases there’s no clear cut advantage so no one gets in trouble but if there is then you really just have to accept it. Even if you’re not happy about the rule.

It’s not about force at all. I am a very patient person with horses & don’t hit them often in races at all. I am all about animal welfare and could not love the horses I work with anymore. But there are times where a whip is required for safety & I’m sure most drivers would agree. A lot of damage can be done if a horse wants to pull up or run sideways at full speed in the middle of 15 horse field when you’re going 50km/h & the consequences can be pretty dire. That’s great that they manage to race without them in Norway. I don’t know anything about their racing or how they’re trained so I can’t really comment on it.

The whip cannot be banned here. Obviously we need to be seen to be doing the best by animal welfare standards which we are! The rules now make it near on impossible to hit the horse harder than you can with the reins anyway! But anyone who drives in a race or educates young horses knows that it must stay. Even when the new whip rules came in there was nearly a few accidents in races! horses crossing down to lead middle stages who jammed the breaks on when they got there and caused a chain reaction back through the field that could have seen horses fall. Same goes for breaking one in/educating it many will try run out the gate which if they’re allowed to do at speed can easily cause a serious crash. Most after a couple of flicks at the gate will learn this behaviour isn’t ok & from then on you only have to have your stick around at the gate and use voice encouragement to go forward. Quite simply you’d see numerous horses never step foot on a racetrack without it & many be far less competitive.

I believe saturdays aren’t possible as aussie won’t play our racing over there on a Saturday as they have so much other racing; so that’s a massive loss on turnover etc… but otherwise would be a good idea!

They tried this out at the start of the season and it didn’t work out... they held 3 races for a series that were random draw and the last race didn’t get off the ground as trainers weren’t happy about having someone they didn’t want...Can understand the idea behind it but the reality is most have their own drivers & it’s actually really unfair when you’ve worked your way up through a stable for years and they have some nice horses that you might get a turn on and then some other random junior gets to drive them & get the win. If you want success in the industry you need to work hard and earn your opportunities. Also the vast majority of trainers aren’t happy to take a gamble they might get someone whose hardly driven etc.. especially for instance there are some horses who are unruly, pull hard etc.. that a young junior might get in to trouble on, but someone more experienced can manage fine. Also same reason you couldn’t possibly draw two random horses never nominated for a junior race.. as great as this idea sounds there’s a good chance that if it’s never been in a junior race is because it’s too dangerous for a junior to be driving. The bigger problem is probably educating the young juniors and providing a better support system so they’re encouraged to do better and don’t lose confidence when they make mistakes. There’s no straight forward fix for getting more juniors in to the industry unfortunately, but there does need to be more opportunities if we’re to keep the juniors currently in the north.

They tried this out at the start of the season and it didn’t work out... Can understand the idea behind it but the reality is most have their own drivers & it’s actually really unfair when you’ve worked your way up through a stable for years and they have some nice horses that you might get a turn on and then some other random junior gets to drive them & get the win. If you want success in the industry you need to work hard and earn your opportunities. Also the vast majority of trainers aren’t happy to take a gamble they might get someone whose hardly driven etc.. especially for instance there are some horses who are unruly, pull hard etc.. that a young junior might get in to trouble on, but someone more experienced can manage fine.

While you can be correct that restraining a horse that is pulling can make them hit the discs or footrests more, they can also hit them when not being restrained, to me he looked very close up in the cart & once he started hitting and panicking he had obviously pulled so hard he was liable to choke down, which would have put both the horses welfare & other drivers/horses in the fields safety at risk. It isn't as simple as letting him run once he was panicking like that he would've run himself in to the deck long before the finish or probably have galloped also if given free rein. Just because he was out in the open doesn't mean he will settle, a lot of horses actually race more fiercely when up parked. It was an unfortunate situation, but in my opinion Maurice absolutely did the right thing. It is a scary situation when you have horse that over races that fiercely & it puts everyone out there at risk. Some horses that hit the disks or wheels infrequently cope with it ok, but often once they start you have no real option but to let them run along I've personally never been in a situation where my horse panicked so hard that it had to be pulled up, but I have driven one that went worse than it should have because it over raced due to this.