Harness racing mourning industry pioneer

Australian harness racing is mourning the passing of one of its oldest, and certainly one of its loveliest and most respected participants Josie Justice.

Josie, the mother of outstanding Victorian horsemen John and Lance, and who spent a life in harness racing and horses, died yesterday on her 91st birthday.

After moving from Adelaide to make Melton her home, last August Justice made headlines with a return to the training ranks – as a 90-year-old.

“I usually give them to John to train, but I thought I’d give it another shot—I just love the sport and I like the challenge,” said Josie, who has held a trainer’s licence since she was 19 years of age.

Josie duly made it back onto the winner’s list when High In The Sky (Monarchy) took out the Woodlands Stud Trotters Handicap at Melton on Jan 7. It was her first success since Grand Revival (Reorder) scored at Globe Derby in July 1995.

HIGH IN THE SKY REPLAY

John partnered High In The Sky and later Josie told TrotsVision the win was “really very special”.

She added that her love for her horses and pacers was still as strong as it had been years ago.

“It’s the horses that keep me going. I’m only down the road from John and I’m there seven days a week. I don’t have holidays. I love my family, I love what they do and all the hard work that goes into it.”

Amanda Justice echoed the thoughts of everyone when she posted to social media about her grandmother: “The wisest woman I’ve known. She was outspoken, driven, passionate and disciplined. I didn’t appreciate how much she taught me about life, love, business and family until just recently.  I feel like the luckiest person in the world to call this woman my grandmother.  Today on her 91^st birthday she left us.  She went insistent that we weren’t sad, and the stoicism she showed right until the end showed her strength and selflessness.”

Rest in Peace, Josie Justice.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink