Welcome to the Southern Harness Website  

The website covers Southern Harness meetings at Ascot Park Invercargill, Central Southland Raceway in Winton, Young Quinn Raceway at Wyndham, Gore Raceway at Gore, meetings at  Roxburgh and Cromwell, and the Tuapeka HRC which races at Forbury Park.

In these Covid-19 days, when racing has been suspended, the usual cover is not possible, but the website will continue to provide harness racing news, views, and interviews  as they come to hand.

You may also notice some feature stories reappearing. These have been available in the Archives section, having been published on the website previously.

They still make great reading, so they’ll be recycled from time to time back onto the current pages.

We acknowledge these are hard times, but we trust in the resilience of our industry, and wish everyone all the best as we all find our way through it.

Note:  If you missed any of the stories on this website – click on the  Archive section which holds three seasons of stories.

Bruce Stewart  –  Editor

Denice Swain – Pioneer

Sunday 24th May 2020

Bruce Stewart

Thirty years ago, Southlander Denice Swain was a pioneer for women in a harness racing industry that was dominated by males.

From her Ashburton base in the nineties she stood tall, gained respect, and fashioned a very good training record. Being the first woman to enter a horse in the New Zealand Cup is one of her many achievements.

Denice Swain far left with one of her many winners Pickapocket

Continue reading “Denice Swain – Pioneer”

Southern Bred Tact Tama Winning In Aussie

23^rd June 2020

Bruce Stewart

“At two he couldn’t pace at all with the hopples on so in the end I had to take them off,” said Winton trainer Trevor Proctor who educated Tact Tama, one of the rising stars in Australian Harness Racing at the moment.

Continue reading “Southern Bred Tact Tama Winning In Aussie”

The Gillans (revisited)

Not many owners can claim to have won a New Zealand Derby, a New Zealand Messenger, and a Four Year Old Emerald. And to have had two consecutive sales toppers at the yearling sales, but that’s what Stu and Pauline Gillan of Lochiel have achieved.

The Derby, the Messenger and the Emerald were all achieved this season with two horses – Eamon Maguire and Sheriff.

Continue reading “Stu and Pauline Gillan (revisited)”

First Trials Held In The South

23rd May 2020

Bruce Stewart

A record number of horses were seen at the first harness trials at Ascot Park yesterday.

With ten race meetings programmed at the Park in the next ten weeks, trainers were getting a line on their horses prior to the winter series which starts next Saturday.

Continue reading “First Trials Held In The South”