Tanya McDermott is spearheading a new project by Harness Racing Victoria that aims to help Standardbreds transition to new lives and careers after retiring from the racetrack. Tanya very kindly took the time to answer some questions for us about her life by the track, the HERO project and some favourite memories.
What is your earliest memory of horses?
Harness racing was a huge part of my life growing up. Many of our family outings involved trips to the trots, it was an interest we all shared. I was horse mad for as long as I can remember and had posters all over my bedroom walls as a teenager. There’s a photo of me standing with my dad holding the end of a lead rope when I was probably two or three and that’s the earliest evidence of the path I would follow.