Three Kidz Kartz drivers head to Aussie

Three young harness racing drivers involved in Kidz Kartz in New Zealand will be heading over to Australia early next month for a trip of a lifetime.

Emily Laurenson (Southland), Thomas Towers (Taranaki) and Ollie Gregory (Franklin) will don the New Zealand colours and race in the final at TABcorp Park Melton against young representatives from New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

The Interdominions are currently being held in the State and the young drivers will get to showcase their skills on one of the big nights.

The New Zealanders go automatically through to the final because they don’t have enough ponies for the heats,” spokesperson for New Zealand National Council for Kidz Kartz Danny Blackmore said.

Laurenson (16) who has been involved in Kidz Kartz since she was five is excited about representing her province and country in the final.

“Rowie (Rowena McIntosh) went up to the Kids Kartz meeting and came back and said that someone from down here has the chance to go to Australia. I thought it would be a great opportunity, so I put my name forward and got selected,” she said.

Laurenson leaves on 7th December. She hasn’t been to Australia before and has only been overseas once to Rarotonga.

“They’ve all got New Zealand colours and a sponsored jacket. There are races for ponies, Shetland and Mini horses. We’re not sure who’s driving what yet,” Blackmore said.

Other things have been planned for the group and they’ll visit a Stud and Harness Racing Stable.

“They’ve got some fun activities outside the racing too to make a trip of it. The whole idea is for people to get together make friends and get contacts because in harness racing you may meet someone you can go and stay with again.”

Blackmore says this type of trip is reciprocal and happens on a regular basis.  

“We invite drivers over to our events from NSW, Queensland and Victoria so in return we get invites over to their events. The last time New Zealand had the Interdoms in Auckland we brought over Australian representatives from all five states.”

He says the exchange goes beyond the Interdominions. 

“We have our Drivers Series in April. We give invites to New South Wales and they invite us back to the NSW Championships.”

The Rising Stars Drivers Series in April will be held at Cambridge and Alexandra Park.

“Six drives, three at each venue and it’s won on points. They get their drive from random draws, and we divide the ponies into three categories; slow, medium and fast and every competitor gets two ponies in each division.”

Blackmore says many of the young drivers on the racetrack today began their careers driving ponies at Kidz Kartz. Zachery Butcher and Joshua Dickie to name just two.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink