Harrison Orange seals a trip to AYDC

Harrison Orange’s incredible rise up the junior harness racing driving ranks has just earned him a New Zealand call up.

The 18-year-old secured selection for the Australasian Young Drivers’ Championships (AYDC) with a double at Alexandra Park on Friday night. That gave him 39 wins for the year so far, and tellingly one ahead of Crystal Hackett.

In recent weeks the pair, who both work for the top northern stables of Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan, have been locked in a close battle for the fourth and final place in the team for the AYDC at Albion Park in Brisbane in July.

“We get on pretty good and have had a few laughs about it,” says Orange.

“I’m excited to get over there .. it’s a pretty cool honour.”

He will compete in the series alongside defending AYDC champion Sam Thornley, last year’s Junior Driver premiership winner Carter Dalgety and the South Island’s top driver Wilson House.

The AYDC will be held over 10 heats, at Albion Park and Redcliffe, starting Tuesday, July 15. They will conclude on the Inter Dominion Pacers and Trotters Finals night at Albion Park on Saturday, July 19.

Orange has had 39 wins in 2025 and 47 overall since his first win, at his first race day drive, with Ilsas Son at Alexandra Park in August last year.

Since then he has been winning races at record pace. He is on target to become the quickest ever to get to 50 career wins.

“It’s surreal,” he says, “if someone had told me a year ago I’d be where I am now I would have thought that they were an idiot.”

Orange follows on from his father and seven-time premiership winner Blair to drive at the AYDC – he did so at Alexandra Park in 1999.

2025 will also see a notable father-son achievement. Harrison will wear the silver fern in Queensland while Blair will represent New Zealand at the World Driving Championship being held here in November.

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk