A Lifetime Of Achievements for Leadership Award Recipient Karen Young
Karen Young with RWWA Board Member Bob Fowler at the Recent Ladies In Pacing awards. Photo Credit – RWWA Socials
There was no worthier recipient of the leadership award at the recent Ladies in Pacing awards than Karen Young, who has tried her hand at every aspect of harness racing imaginable.
“It was a great honour, a bit surprising but it was a good day and I think it’s a good initiative by RWWA honouring people that have done a lot of work in the industry over many years, women in particular.” As heard on Tuesday mornings One Out One Back show hosted by Matthew Young.
Born into the industry with her father Bill Brindley a steward at the Wagin trotting club as well as a breeder of horses himself, Karen was hooked from a young age, going through the driving school at 17 before making her driving debut in the 1970’s, becoming one of the only female reinswomen in that time. The opportunities at that point were not great for women but her love for harness racing drove her, winning her first race on board Idiosyncrasy at Narrogin on Saturday the 15th of December in 1979 under her maiden name, Karen Brindley.
“From the time that I drove in the cart, it was what I preferred to do. I could still ride but putting them in the cart was where my passion was,”
“I started my schooling under Ron Gallop at Pinjarra, I mainly drove in the country, but I drove at Gloucester Park in the ladies’ races, and I won two of those, just being out there is exciting,”
“The driving against the men was a little bit harder, they don’t give much away, so to win races and then eventually I trained and drove my own horses as well back in those early days, it was really good,”
“Obviously, people like Wendy Dixon are who you looked up to at that time. Wendy drove a lot more and at a higher level probably than what I did, but still the thrill of being out there.”
Young met her now husband Ron in 1982 and after welcoming their first child together, David, in July 1986, the two got married in 1989 before going on to have their second son Matthew in August 1991. It was when she fell pregnant with David that Karen decided it was too dangerous for her to be out on the track driving with a young family, that she took a step back, concentrating on breaking, educating and the training of horses, as well as breeding their own team of horses from the few broodmares they had.
In a previous article it was mentioned that Karen was nearing the elusive 100 club, but unfortunately with records a little behind, Karen hit the 100 some eight wins ago, with the 60-year-old now sitting on 108 career victories. With only ever a small team at any time in her stable, Young has always been dedicated to breeding her own horses and in 2009 was rewarded with the Group 3 win in the Country Derby with her horse Packed Safely taking out the grand final after his win in the South West Derby at Bunbury a month earlier, with the Country Derby just nine starts into the geldings career.
Packed Safely raced a total of 55 times for the Young family for 12 wins and 13 placings, accumulating just over $133,000 in stakes, including running a gallant second in the $50,000 V75 Punters Club Final behind WA Star Mysta Magical Mach NZ in 2012, with injury eventually ending his career on the track in mid-2014.
Karen is no stranger to local success with her homebred horses, with horses like Pedal To The Medal, Opey Ken and Cut To The Chase giving the family thrill on the track and in more recent times Jill Mach and Lively Shadow flying the flag for the stable.
“I do enjoy the breeding side, matching your mare to a stallion is always a bit of fun, its obviously a lot of luck involved, but I think there’s still some crosses that do work.”
Karen and Ron have reduced their numbers in recent times, but still continue to break-in and educate for others as well as Karen continuing to have a couple of her own in work at any time.
Ashleigh Paikos