Steering a careful career path

She might have all the intuition that a four-generation family harness racing tradition can bring, but young Victorian horsewoman Ewa Justice is keeping her options open on her likely career path.

Ewa (pronounced Eva) is the daughter of big race winner John Justice and the granddaughter of the late industry legend, Josie, who was a tireless advocate for women in the sport and passed away at age 91 earlier this year.

But surprisingly, until two years ago, a harness racing career wasn’t seriously on the radar for Ewa.

“Nana always wanted me to do it, and dad as well, and I did pony trots for three or four years when I was younger, but then it went past me for a few years.  I really only started trackworking in 2020 during lockdowns,” Ewa said.

“One of my best friends Stacey Carbone came and worked for dad and that really motivated me as well to start, and I’ve just gone from there,” she said.

“Nana was a bit worried for a while there wasn’t going to be any of her grandchildren follow on, but my sister Alannah Logie now has her trainers’ licence and has had a few winners, and (uncle) Lance’s daughter Leilani is also going for her trainer’s and driver’s licence.”

“Nana didn’t get to see me drive at the races, but she came to the trials a few times when I got my licence and she loved that.”

Although Ewa is showing fine talent as a young driver, she’s still uncertain whether it will be a professional pursuit.

“I’m a full-time student (studying social work at LaTrobe University) and I work part time as well. I never saw driving or horses as a career – just something that was enjoyable to me.  Getting my driver’s licence just sort of happened one day,” she said.

“I think at my first drive we all had tears in our eyes, so it did mean a lot to everyone, but a few years ago I think if you had said to any of my family that I’d be driving and getting winners, not one of them would have believed you!

“I do love the sport, but at the moment I’m in the second year of my degree and working part time and I’m trying hard to focus most on my uni studies.”

Ewa recorded her first win at Geelong on October 14 on two-year-old Another Nien (Huntsville), then repeated the dose at Melton three days later with a mature steer on square gaiter Aldebaran Boyd (Aldebaran Eagle), both trained by her dad.

The 19-year-old has been a model of consistency in her race driving, with 10 placings to her name, as well as the two wins, in her 27 starts.

Ewa said the first win on 20-1 shot Another Nien was a moment she’ll never forget.

“I had been starting to think I was cursed because I kept running third – my first three drives were thirds! But that first win was the best because it was the most unexpected.  And earlier in the night I got beaten by a head – so close to being a double!” she said.

“The trotter I got the win with at Melton (Alderbaran Zeus) we bought because we were told he would be a good horse to learn to drive on – I thought that meant he was bombproof but it turned out exactly the opposite!  So the plan was just to get him to trot all the way. Dad told me not to be afraid to sit in the death because he just keeps plugging, he doesn’t have a push button, and the horse did a great job.”

Ewa said she was fortunate to have the opportunities presented by her dad’s team.

“I’m lucky that dad give me drives on any of his team except for Saturday night horses.  He has enough confidence to put me on any of them and I’m lucky that the owners have shown confidence in me too.  They know that (as a junior driver) things will happen sometimes, but they’re prepared to let me on, and I appreciate that.”

And despite driving some handy horses, Ewa’s looking forward to sitting behind one of the lesser lights of the Justice stable sometime soon in a horse bred by her dad.

“I have to admit I do have one special horse and he’s not the fastest horse but he’s my favorite and that’s Sports Wrack.  He was another of the reasons I ended up driving.  I drove him in all his fast work, then I thought I wanted to drive him at the races too,” she said.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink