By Mac Henry
Smiling Armarda etched himself permanently in the memory of Tyler Dewe when he carried the Invercargill junior driver to his first raceday driving success during the Wairio ‘Mile Day’ fixture at Winton on Sunday .
Not that Dewe was just a passenger as he guided Smiling Armarda to the line with three horses on his inner. With the biggest thrill of his two and a half month career in sight, he was concentrating so hard on keeping the horse straight he couldn’t appropriately enjoy the moment.
“He was laying in, I thought I had just missed,” Dewe said, “I couldn’t hear the call because of the wind.”
Although only 18, Dewe claims a lifetime interest in harness racing, tracing it back to the time his father Mark worked for Gil and Brent Shirley.
“We lived in the wee hut till I was nine, I never drove but led the odd quiet one. I got to sit in the cart of Touche Express when he was being broken in.”
For the next seven or so years, Dewe said he had no contact with horses except for watching them on television but he never lost his interest. He was at Southland Boys High School in 2013 when he decided further academic study wasn’t for him.
“My grandmother contacted Aimee Edmonds and she arranged work experience with Nathan Williamson,” said Dewe who didn’t get to take up the opportunity because Kirstin Barclay offered him a full time job with then Tisbury trainer Tom Kilkelly. He started in September 2013 and although he’d still never driven a horse, was soon fully involved in all aspects of the stable.
He also got involved with the Cadet scheme and earlier this year was a southern finalist for New Zealand Cadet of the Year.
“Its a great concept and to get third gave me a good feeling,” Dewe said. “I was the youngest and it was good to get a taste of success, I didn’t have any at school.”
Dewe, however, had previously represented Southland at under 11 Softball and Touch tournaments.
“That took me places,” he said.
After the win at Winton, Dewe was quick to acknowledge the help he has received from Barclay, Tom and Julie Kilkelly, and Doug McLachlan who at the beginning of August gave him his first raceday drive on Red Electric at Ascot Park. Drivers Andrew Armour and Shane Walkinshaw had also been a big help to him, he said.
About four weeks ago, Dewe transferred to Ryal Bush trainer Hamish Hunter, trainer of Smiling Armarda, and will be forever grateful to him for providing the magical moment that the first win always is.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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