by Michael Howard
Another fresh face will be a regular at Victorian tracks after Montana McStay was installed as Harness Racing Victoria’s second participant intern.
Coming after 2016 intern Michelle Phillips blazed a trail through the industry’s leading stables to hold the reins of some of the sport’s finest, McStay has begun a lengthy stint with Kerryn Manning’s Great Western stable.
HRV people and culture manager Isabella Galati said the program provided a pathway into the trots.
“There are many challenges for new entrants to the trots industry, including the need to obtain practical experience and build industry networks at the beginning of a career,” Ms Galati said.
“Attracting new trainers and drivers to the industry and ensuring these individuals are well trained, capable professionals is vital to ensure a sustainable industry for future generations. New entrants to the industry are the trots ambassadors of tomorrow.”
McStay advanced from Gippsland Harness Training Centre courses to be chosen for the opportunity, and centre manager Jenni Lewis said the 19-year-old had quickly found her feet.
“Montana came through the VET in Schools program, having had no idea about the trots previously,” Ms Lewis said.
“Her maturity has shone out as has her ability to work with young horses. She’s proven that she can show initiative and has great caring qualities.”
McStay said she was introduced to standardbred horses through family, and when a window opened to make a career of the sport she dove in.
“My Aunty, Angela Ward, raced a couple of trotters and pacers in New South Wales when I was younger and she would try to get me into standardbreds,” she said.
“I would help out, but didn’t have a lot more to do with them until I came down to the college. Then I discovered the course was hands-on and not just bookwork. You get to experience the practical side of it.”
And, now that the course has evolved into an internship, McStay can’t wait to delve into the industry’s many sectors.
“I will get to experience a lot of the industry and see how various trainers work, you get to see what it all works towards,” she said. “I reckon it’s going to be a great opportunity. I just love working with horses and getting to see all the different techniques that go into getting a horse to perform to its ability will be terrific.”
Ms Lewis said she would be a great asset.
“She’s got the love and passion for it,” she said. “She went from never driving a horse in her life to, at the end of last year, passing her trial driver’s assessment. So she can pursue that career path, but she is more likely moving towards the training side of the sport.”
The following was written by Montata McStay during her time at HRV headquarters, part of her internship:
After one drive of jog work in a single-seater sulky I knew that I had to see all that was on offer in the trots.
My name is Montana, I’m 19 and studying Certificate IV (Racehorse Trainer) at the Gippsland Harness Training Centre in Warragul, and I am the second Harness Racing Victoria intern.
I grew up with a passion for horses and always found myself wanting to pursue a career doing what I love. I was around many people that didn’t enjoy their jobs and I wanted to make sure that wasn’t going to be me further down the track.
My aunty was involved with the trots in NSW at her uncle’s stud, where she was always trying to get me into the sport. For a few years I worked at an equestrian centre close by and, although I loved it, I couldn’t see myself doing it in the future.
It was in year 11 that I decided to see what was on offer at the harness centre. During school on Wednesdays I would travel to Warragul and spend the day at TAFE. I came into this course not knowing anything about the trots, just holding basic horse skills.
The course was great because we were more hands on than I’d expected. Horses would be worked first thing in the morning and from that I learnt how to gear a horse for jog work, put a cart on and then drive the horse while in the double-seater sulky. After one drive doing jog work I switched to a single sulky and from that moment I knew I wanted more.
When I finished high school I decided to do full-time studies at the training centre. I had only enrolled in a small amount of work from Certificate IV (Racehorse Trainer) as I was heading to South Australia to volunteer in a remote Aboriginal community for 10 weeks, where I had no access to internet, no phone reception and relied on books taken with me to gather information to complete the set work.
During 2016 I heightened my knowledge, learning more about the different training methods for each horse. I visited Rhiannon Park in Congupna, which is owned by respected breeders Dean and Blanche Poole. I was lucky to witness the birth of a healthy foal, learn the artificial insemination process, identify the difference through ultrasound for when a mare was ready to breed and what needed to be done when the foal was born.
From my first day in at the Gippsland Harness Training Centre in 2014 I have developed so many skills that will stay with me forever, met so many incredible people along the way, passed my trials assessment in November 2016 and, most of all, worked with amazing horses who helped me get to where I am today.
I wanted to explore my options this year, one of which was Harness Racing Victoria’s internship.
I successfully applied and hope to travel to different stables, attend some of the trots big events and gain insight into the hard work and dedication from all levels of the industry.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
