Guide

The Ultimate Guide to the 2026 Australasian Young Drivers Championship

The Australasian Young Drivers Championship returns to New Zealand this November. Find out how it works, meet the ten drivers competing for the title and discover what to watch for across the four race meetings.

30 October 2026 6 min read

Some of the best young harness racing drivers from Australia and New Zealand are going head-to-head this November, with an Australasian title up for grabs.

The 1Equine Australasian Young Drivers Championship (AYDC) returns to New Zealand for the first time since 2019, with ten drivers competing across four race meetings before the champion is crowned on NZ Trotting Cup Day.

If you haven't followed the AYDC before, here's how it works, who's competing and what to look out for.

Australasian Young Drivers Manawatu Dec 10 2019 with Manawatu Committeemen Brian Ahern Allan Brown

What is the Australasian Young Drivers Championship?

The Australasian Young Drivers Championship (AYDC) brings together some of the best young harness racing drivers from New Zealand and Australia.

First held in 1993, when the Australian Young Drivers Championship was expanded to include Kiwi drivers, it's become an annual opportunity for young drivers to race at different tracks, drive unfamiliar horses and compete against talented drivers from across the Tasman.

The championship is open to drivers aged under 25, with ten competitors usually making up the field: three from New Zealand (North Island, South Island and a national representative), one from each of Australia's six states, and the defending champion.

There's a slight difference this year, though. The 2025 winner, Victoria's James Herbertson, is now too old to defend his title. Instead, Victoria gets a second representative, with Jordan Leedham and Ryan Sanderson both competing in 2026.

MOLLY DOOKER Benjamin Butcher Manawatu Dec 10 2019 R7 action

How does the AYDC work?

The championship is decided over ten races, known as heats, held across four race meetings.

In each heat, drivers earn points according to where they finish. A win earns 17 points, second place gets 12, third gets nine, and points are awarded right down to tenth place.

At the end of the ten heats, the driver with the most points wins the championship.

There's another interesting part to the competition: drivers don't get to choose their horses.

Drives are allocated through a ballot, so competitors often find themselves behind horses they've never driven before. For some of the Australians, it'll also be their first experience racing at New Zealand tracks.

That makes the championship a real test of their ability to adapt. Drivers have to work out how to get the best from their horses, often with very little time to get to know them.

And while winning heats certainly helps, consistency matters too.

A driver could win two heats and still miss out on the title if their results in the other races aren't as strong. Someone who regularly finishes in the top three could end up taking the championship without winning as many races.

It's worth keeping an eye on the overall points standings as the week progresses.

When and where is the 2026 AYDC?

The championship runs from 4–10 November, with racing at four tracks across the North and South Islands.

Wednesday 4 November – Cambridge Raceway

The championship gets underway in the Waikato, with the drivers beginning their quest for points.

Friday 6 November – Alexandra Park

Next stop is Auckland for three heats under the lights at Alexandra Park.

Sunday 8 November – Ashburton Raceway

The drivers head south to Canterbury for the next round of racing.

Tuesday 10 November – Addington Raceway

The championship concludes on NZ Trotting Cup Day, with the Australasian champion crowned at Addington.

By the time they reach Cup Day, the drivers will have raced at four different tracks, including both clockwise and anti-clockwise circuits.

For those visiting New Zealand for the first time, there'll be quite a bit to get used to!

Meet the 2026 Drivers

Three Kiwis are taking on seven Australians, with six Australian states represented.

Crystal Hackett - North Island

Crystal is making her fourth AYDC appearance, more than anyone else in this year's field. She's a Group 1-winning driver and will be hoping her experience and familiarity with New Zealand racing give her an advantage.

Carter Dalgety - South Island

At 23, Carter already has two Auckland Cup victories and a win in America to his name. He's also won the New Zealand Junior Drivers Premiership and is returning for his second AYDC.

Wilson House - New Zealand

The 22-year-old is the reigning New Zealand Junior Drivers Champion and a former Junior Drivers Premiership winner. Wilson has been involved in racing since his Kidz Kartz days and is making his second AYDC appearance.

Jett Turbull - New South Wales

Jett is only 19 but has already driven more than 600 winners. He became the youngest Australian driver to reach 500 career wins and finished runner-up in last year's AYDC. This will be his first trip to New Zealand.

Layne Dwyer - Queensland

Another 19-year-old in the field, Layne has enjoyed success with CheerstoLou, including winning the Peak of the Creek earlier this year.

Jason Kittel - South Australia

Jason, 22, counts winning the Four and Five-Year-Old Classic at Globe Derby Park with Clarenden Tribute, trained by his father, among his career highlights.

Jordy Chibnall

Jordy previously competed in the AYDC for New South Wales in 2022 but returns this year representing Tasmania. One of her career highlights was winning the Evicus Final with Twilight Storm at odds of 150-to-one.

Jordan Leedham - Victoria

Jordan drives for Andy and Kate Gath and has enjoyed success in feature racing, including a two-year-old Nutrien Final victory. He's looking forward to experiencing New Zealand's different style of racing.

Ryan Sanderson - Victoria

Ryan has already celebrated Group 1 success, winning the Victoria Derby with Fox Dan. The 23-year-old is looking forward to racing at different tracks and taking on drivers he hasn't competed against before.

Abbey Vidovich - Western Australia

Abbey is 20 and has already made a strong impression in Western Australian racing. She's looking forward to experiencing New Zealand's tracks and driving horses she hasn't raced before.

Three Stories to Follow

Can Crystal Hackett make it fourth time lucky?

Crystal has competed in three previous AYDC championships, all in Australia, but this will be her first on home soil. She's hoping a few more years of experience, combined with her knowledge of New Zealand tracks and horses, will make the difference. As Crystal puts it: "I haven't been able to tick off AYDC yet, but hopefully this year will be my year to do that."

Can Jett Turbull Go One Better?

Jett finished second to James Herbertson in the 2025 championship and has continued to rack up winners since. Despite being just 19, he's one of the most experienced drivers in the field. He's also looking forward to his first trip to New Zealand, particularly the opportunity to drive at Addington on Cup Day.

Will the home advantage help the Kiwis?

All three New Zealand representatives have competed in the AYDC before, and they'll have the advantage of knowing many of the horses and tracks. Several of the Australians, meanwhile, will be racing in New Zealand for the first time. That doesn't guarantee the Kiwis an advantage in every heat, but they'll certainly be hoping their local knowledge comes in handy.

A little AYDC History

The first Australasian Young Drivers Championship was held in Brisbane in 1993, with Queensland's Grant Dixon and Tasmania's Ricky Duggan sharing the inaugural title.

Some of harness racing's biggest names have competed in the AYDC over the years, including Dexter Dunn and James Herbertson. Others, like Grant Dixon, have gone on to enjoy hugely successful careers after winning the championship.

Australia has dominated the competition over the years, winning 22 of the 31 titles contested so far. New Zealand has won nine.

The first Kiwi victory came in 1998, when Southland's Lauren Pearson became both the first New Zealander and the first woman to win the championship.

Pearson went on to finish second in 1999 and third in 2002, giving her a complete set of AYDC medals.

Other New Zealand winners include Mark Jones, Jay Abernethy, Joshua Dickie, Andre Poutama, Robbie Close and Sheree Tomlinson.

The last time New Zealand hosted the AYDC was in 2019, when Sarah O'Reilly claimed the title.

Sam Thornley was the most recent Kiwi winner, taking the championship at Menangle in 2024.

Five things you might not know about the AYDC

1. Dexter Dunn never won it.

Despite going on to become one of the world's leading harness racing drivers, Dexter competed in four AYDC championships without winning. His best result was second in 2010.

2. Only one driver has won back-to-back titles.

Victorian David Miles won in 1994 and 1995. Nobody has managed it since.

3. The first championship finished in a tie.

Grant Dixon and Ricky Duggan shared the title in 1993.

4. Lauren Pearson has a complete set of medals.

She won gold in 1998, silver in 1999 and bronze in 2002 across her three AYDC appearances.

5. The defending champion won't be competing.

James Herbertson won the 2025 championship at Albion Park but is now too old to qualify under the competition's age rules.

How can you follow the 2026 AYDC?

Want to see the drivers in action? Entry is free at Cambridge, Alexandra Park and Ashburton, so you can head along and watch the championship without needing a ticket.

At Alexandra Park on Friday 6 November, there are three AYDC heats on the programme. You can enjoy the racing for free, or make a night of it with dinner overlooking the track at Top of the Park, with buffet and beverage packages available.

The championship wraps up at Addington on Tuesday 10 November, as part of NZ Trotting Cup Day. Cup Day is a ticketed event, with plenty happening throughout the day alongside the AYDC final heats.

If you can't make it trackside, you can watch the racing on Trackside or catch up with results and replays through Harness Racing New Zealand.

We'll also be following the championship on The Trots' Facebook, Instagram and TikTok channels, with driver stories, results and highlights throughout the week.

Explore the official AYDC Booklet

Want to know more about this year's championship?

The official 2026 AYDC booklet includes profiles of all ten drivers, covering their racing achievements and a few fun facts about life away from the track.

You'll also find feature stories on Crystal Hackett and Jett Turnbull, memories from former champions Grant Dixon and Lauren Pearson, and a look back at the championship's history.

Read the booklet

Where to next?

Keep following the championship or plan your next day at the races.