The Suvalkjo harness racing dynasty

The branches of the Suvalkjo family tree extend deep into the driving ranks of West Australian harness racing.

When Joe Suvaljko Snr first threw a set of harness over a horse in the late 1950s little did he realise the legacy he would leave behind.

Joe Snr died from a heart attack in 1992 at the age of 58 however his passion for harness racing lives on through the deeds of his sons Joey, Callan and Shannon who have all enjoyed success on the race track.

Shannon vividly recalls the day.

“I was about to fly out that morning to represent WA in the Junior Drivers Championships in Sydney and Callan ran down to the stables to tell Dad that I was leaving, and it was then that he had the heart attack and was gone,” Shannon said.

Shannon has 2326 career wins including eight Group 1 successes and currently heads the State Driver’s Premiership on 77 wins ahead of Chris Voak on 62 wins.

Joe Snr’s only daughter Georgena drove in races during the late 1980s

Joey’s wife Sarah held a drivers licence for 16 years before deciding to concentrate on training a team of eight at her Byford stables.

And the burgeoning family dynasty appears in good hands through the efforts of the next generation of harness racing Suvaljkos.

Shannon’s daughter 23-year-old Emily is one the WA’s leading reinswomen with a career tally of 578 wins including Group 1 victories aboard Mighty Ronaldo in the last year’s Fremantle Cup and Savvy Bromac in the Mares Classic.

Emily’s younger brother Lucas is eager to follow in his sister’s footsteps driving in pony trot races.

Joey and Sarah’s three sons Joseph (21), Daniel (19) and Aaron (17) all drive in races however their equine expertise doesn’t end in the sulky.

Both Daniel and Aaron are accomplished equestrian performers with the former representing Australia at the World Mounted Games in France in 2022 and the latter representing Australia at the Games held in Australia last year.

The brothers have been selected to represent Australia at the Games in Italy in July.

Sarah Suvaljko acknowledges it was inevitable that the three boys would become involved in harness racing.

“They grew up with harness racing all around them and luckily they all love it,” she said.

by John Dunne, for Harnesslink