03 September 2024 | Ashleigh Paikos
Name In Lights Winner – Deb Whitehead
It’s not often that meeting someone in the dentist’s office leads you to horse ownership, but that’s exactly what happened for Deb Whitehead when Luke Edwards came in for his routine six month check up at the dental surgery she worked at.
Taking a close look at his new patient form, her intrigue was peaked and although always somewhat interested in racehorses, the pair got talking, but it wasn’t until six months later at his next check-up that Luke Edwards managed to convince Deb Whitehead to get involved in a horse.
That horse turned out the be Henrik Larsson, who gave Whitehead some of the biggest thrills an owner can experience, winning five on the trot at one stage and starting her journey into ownership at the trots.
“We got chatting and he said I can find you a horse if you are interested and I said I don’t know about that, and he said come on let’s do it, and about six months later he said are you still interested, and I said why not.”
“He rang about six weeks later and he had found Henrik Larsson, and that’s how I got onto the journey that I’m now on.”
That ownership grew, tenfold, and numbers of shares in horses grew to eight at one stage, but Deb is down to owning share in four horses and she’s loving every minute of it.
“I only have very minimal shares, but it has given me so much fun and enjoyment, it’s been amazing.”
Not in it to win every race, Whitehead is loving the social fulfilment it’s bringing her and explaining that she’s on her own and not a ‘pub and club girl’, the trots give her the confidence to venture out on her own, which has led to meeting plenty of great new people on her exciting ownership journey.
“Horses are my social life.”
Wins are always the ultimate goal, but if that doesn’t happen, you’ll still find Deb around the track with a glass of bubble in her hand, having a chat with everyone, which is something she loves to do, enjoying the atmosphere at the trots, and in her words “I just love it, love it, love it.”
If she can manage to duck away from work early on a Monday, Deb made mention that her favourite WA track to frequent is Pinjarra Trots.
“It’s a really good vibe, the guy that runs it there (Dale Putland) is amazing, he’s always very welcoming, I just love the facilities there, I just think it’s a good place to go on a Monday.”
Is it beginners’ luck, who knows, but Deb Whitehead found herself involved in the very smart August Moon, and although only owning a small share in the very impressive mare, her win in the Oaks is one she will never forget.
“That was the best, and to further win it the way that she did, by like a whisker, was just amazing, so that would be the best (moment) so far,
“But I’ve had that many, when Henrik (Larsson) took off and won five on the trot, that was a good initiation and that probably got me hooked,
“It’s just been a great journey.”
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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