Opportunity has further fuelled Michelle Phillips’ passion for harness racing, with a traineeship promising to fast-track the teenager’s career as a driver and trainer.
The 18-year-old’s 12-month internship started on Monday, the beginning of a new collaboration between Harness Racing Victoria and Community College Gippsland.
Phillips, the program’s inaugural student, will benefit from the paid position, which includes training in a Certificate IV in Racing, mentorship and professional development.
“I have been around horses my whole life, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I finished year 12,” Phillips said.
“This was just a great opportunity and inspired me to pursue a career as a harness racing driver and trainer.”
A pony club member of almost 10 years, Phillips completed Certificate II in Racing at Community College Gippsland in 2013, which required her to take on work helping Gary Quinlan’s stable at trials.
So impressed were the Quinlan camp that 12 months on they pursued Phillips through the school and offered her a stable hand position, which she started in October, and then encouraged the Neerim teenager to pursue the harness racing internship.
“I had finished year 12 and got really interested in harness racing (at the Quinlans) and this opportunity come up,” Phillips said.
“The internship is a good opportunity for young people interested in harness racing to get more opportunities and to broaden their horizons. I will work with other people in the industry and gain the knowledge that I can put into training and driving.”
Phillips will spend next week at Harness Racing Victoria’s Flemington headquarters to experience its inner workings, including meeting with stewards and staff.
She will then spend time with Chris and Alison Alford, which Phillips said she was “really looking forward to”.
Exposure to the leading drivers in the world will continue in March when Phillips tours with competitors contesting the International All Star Series, which will include US drivers Yannick Gingras, Brett Miller and Corey Callaghan.
“Getting out and learning from these drivers, in particular hearing their stories about how they got to where they are and what they have done to this point, will be a great opportunity.”
Harness Racing Victoria General Manager – Operations Vaughn Lynch said “Michelle is a delightful young talent who is someone we want to invest in”.
“The 12 months internship will give her an opportunity to learn all aspects of the business, including the machinations of Harness Racing Victoria but also media training, business skills and secondment to a number of trainers in the industry,” Lynch said.
“It’s important we really look after the young people in our industry and hopefully start them on the course to bigger and better things.”
by Michael Howard
Harness Racing Victoria