Drivers are the fearless athletes behind the reins, guiding these powerful horses around the track from their sulkies. They’re like the F1 drivers of the racing world, making split-second decisions that can mean the difference between victory and defeat.

A driver has to know their horse inside and out – its strengths, weaknesses, and quirks. During a race, they’re constantly reading the field, adjusting tactics, and timing their moves to perfection. It’s all about strategy and nerves of steel! And, just like in car racing, the driver’s skill can often turn an underdog horse into a winner with the right strategy and guidance.

Many of our drivers start young – our Kidz Kartz put drivers as young as 9 years old behind a racing pony, and many of them go on to make a career of it. There’s no real upper limit either, with drivers racing and winning into their 80's.

As you’d expect, our drivers are super-competitive, and compete for driver titles as well as going all out to win races for their horses and their owners. (Often a driver will drive several different horses in the course of one race meet.)

Many of our drivers share their passion for the sport on social media too. Follow our social accounts at the bottom of the page and you’ll see us tagging them and sharing their content.

Before a horse even steps onto the track, its trainer has put in hours of work to get it race-ready. Just like an All Blacks winger or any other top performer, our four-legged athletes rely on great coaching to get them to peak condition.

Trainers condition the horses, not just physically but mentally. They design training routines, choose the right equipment, and make decisions on when a horse is ready to compete.

Whether it’s focusing on building stamina or keeping a horse calm and focused, trainers play a crucial role in shaping champions.

Meet the unsung heroes of harness racing. Stablehands (also called strappers) are the hands-on professionals who make sure the horses are happy, healthy, and looking sharp. They feed, groom, and care for the horses daily, often forming close bonds with them.

And here’s something you might not know… stablehands and trainers don’t call the horses by the same names you’ll hear at The Trots. As well as their “racing name,” each horse will also have a “stable name” that’s used away from the racetrack.

On race day, strappers make sure the horses are prepped, geared up, and looking race-ready. They’re also there at the end to cool them down, take care of any post-race care, and celebrate (or commiserate) with their four-legged friends. Without them, the whole operation simply wouldn’t run.

Owners are the ones who believe in the horse’s potential and make the dream of racing possible.

Sometimes, an owner will have a bunch of horses in training and put a lot of money behind their success. A lot of the time, the horses you’ll see at The Trots are owned by syndicates of local people who just love racing.

For many, owning a racehorse isn’t just about the prize money (though that’s nice, too!) It’s about the thrill of the race, the excitement of being part of a winning team, and the connection to their horse. Plus, there’s nothing quite like seeing your horse cross the finish line first!

Horse ownership in a syndicate might not be as expensive as you think. Learn more about horse ownership here https://www.hrnz.co.nz/industry-information/ownership/