Our Industry – Michael Young
Michael Young and Kiara Davies. Photo Credit- Hamilton Content Creators
This week’s look at the industry, we look at Michael Young and how he got involved in harness racing in WA.
32-year-old Michael Young first got involved in the WA harness scene around 12 years ago when he was doing his mining apprenticeship in Kambalda, meeting Chris and Michael Plozza through a family friend during the Kalgoorlie season, where they offered him a casual job helping out on Friday nights on race nights.
At the end of that season, the Plozza’s moved back down to Perth and Young made the move to Darwin for work, but after a year away, he realised he missed the racing, so he made the decision to move to Perth where he lived with Sarah and Joe Suvaljko, working for them full time. Young made the move to the stables of Ron Huston, then Shannon Suvaljko and eventually making it to the leading stables of Gary Hall Snr where his love of racing was really ingrained into his future.
“I learnt a lot from all of them, especially Gary Hall Snr, he’s been my biggest influence and role model, and still is to this day.”
With 16 horses currently in work, Young has gradually built up his stables with the hopes of eventually expanding numbers and the quality of his horses, only made possible with the help and support of his partner Kiara Davies, a trainer and former reinswoman herself.
Young gained his trainers licence in the 2019/2020 season and has since had 205 starters for 40 wins and 56 placings: an impressive strike rate in such a short period of time. Prior to this, Young held his reinsman’s licence from 2010-2016, driving in a total of 731 starts for 100 wins and 198 placings. With large stints travelling to the country circuits, Young had much success at the place it all started, Golden Mile Trotting Club, before racing ceased in the Goldfields in 2017.
Michael Young has a new starter to his stable on Monday at Pinjarra, Nevermindthechaos, and it appears she is aptly named as the two-year process to get her to the track has been as chaotic as they come. Purchased at the yearling sales two years ago, Young sent her off for breaking in, which took longer than usual, with the now three-year-old having issues pacing.
The trouble didn’t end there, after finishing her education preps, she came back to Youngs stables, but unfortunately sustained a fractured hip just prior to going to trials, requiring box rest for three months and a further three months in the paddock for rehabilitation.
“We finally got her back, got her to trials, qualified her and had her nominated to race. I tracked her on the Wednesday as she was supposed to race on Saturday at Bunbury and she did her tendon that track run,”
“She’s had nine months off and now here we are almost ready to go again.” Young said.
Nevermindthechaos has drawn barrier six in race three on Monday at Pinjarra but will come into barrier five with an early scratching.
Ashleigh Paikos