Support rolls in for Tassie young guns

Five harness racing youngsters involved in a horrific Tasmanian road accident a week ago have received a much-needed boost—thanks to the compassion of a leading jockey and his partner.

Craig “Froggy” Newitt and his partner Breaana have organized a fundraising appeal through GoFundMe, kicking it off with a $200 donation, and raising almost $12,000 in the first four days towards a goal of $50,000.

“These guys need our help—they are a terrific bunch of hard-working young people,” Newitt said.

Promising drivers Cody Crossland, 19, and Bronte Miller, 18, were in a vehicle towing a horse float that left the road on the way home from a Hobart meeting, held last Sunday week (Jan 29). Also in the vehicle was Miller’s younger brother Blake, 14; Maree Wakefield, 16, and Lily Blundstone, 21.

Brontë dislocated one of her hips and broke the other, as well as losing vision in one of her eyes and suffering a fractured arm; Cody has several broken ribs, a laceration to his face requiring surgery, a broken shoulder blade and internal injuries; Maree has a significant laceration to her face; Lily suffered bruising and pain; and Blake was only shaken up by the accident.

Newitt met the Team Yole youngsters only recently during a stable get-together but took the opportunity to send a shout-out to the injured five and promote the fundraiser after booting home a winner last week.

“While they don’t have life threatening injuries, it’s still going to be a very long, stressful and extremely expensive rehab so we’re asking for any donations, big or small, to help get these guys back doing what they love,” Newitt said.

Cody’s mother Laura, a successful trainer/driver near Shepparton, has just returned home after spending five days with her eldest son.

“He’s going okay. He realizes it’s going to be quite a while before he gets over all of his injuries—but he did take a walk down to the stables yesterday, which was good for him,” Laura said.

“He has a broken eye socket, as well as a broken shoulder and ribs, a tear in his liver and a cut under his eye which needed surgery. He’s booked into see a plastic surgeon soon.

“Cody can’t fly home because of his injuries and he’s staying with Ben and Kat Yole.  They’ve been fantastic since the accident, along with TasRacing, who are doing everything they can to support all of them.  Cody’s just loved being over there working for the Yoles.

“The phone that alerted emergency services of the accident belonged to Cody. He’d only just got it, but so many people have mentioned the fact that its app alerts emergency services after an accident even if you aren’t able to do it yourself. It’s unreal.”

The impact of the accident no doubt resonated with Newitt, who was born in Tasmania, and his parents the late Guy Newitt and his wife Ginny were former jockeys.  As a jockey Guy was known as “Froggy”, and Craig, in his teens, graduated from “Tadpole” to earn the moniker his dad held during his riding career.

Craig Newitt has ridden over 2150 winners with major race wins including 33 Group Ones. Among his successes have been the Sydney and Australian Cup, TJ Smith Stakes, Victoria Derby, Blue Diamond and Lightning Stakes, Stradbroke and Newmarket Handicaps, Australian and Rosehill Guineas, the Goodwood and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Newitt’s father Guy later became a trainer and played a major role in his son’s success in Victoria when he and Ginny relocated from Tasmania to support Craig’s career. Guy become Craig’s driver and confidante, sharing not just a father-son relationship but bonding as best mates.  Tragically, Guy was killed, aged just 48, in a car accident in early 2009 on the Mornington Peninsula.

To donate to the gofundme page, click here.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink