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It is the biggest race on the smallest scale – the Tonkin Stewart Racing Pony Trot Inter Dominion – and it is taking placing at Melton tonight.
Stars from all over Australia and New Zealand will compete across three finals with drivers aged from as young as six to 17 years-old.
And the ponies competing are not much bigger either, ranging from eight hands to 12 hands high . . . some not much taller than a dining room chair!
They may be small in stature but there are some big prizes on the line for harness racing’s small equine stars according to Pony Trot Manager Jenni Lewis.
“Winners will receive a satin rug with a fringe on it just like what the ‘big’ horses get that win the Inter Dominion,” said Lewis.
“They also receive a golden embossed sash, a bouquet of flowers as well as a trophy.
“All children competing also get a medal to commemorate their participation in the series.”
The smallest ponies will get the feature series underway on Saturday night with the Mini ID22 Final at 6:20pm.
Visiting New Zealander driver Emily Laurenson will partner the pony Milkshake and the pair will start off the same 600m handicap as in-form Victorian representative Riley Pace and his pony Where’s Wally.
Starting off the biggest handicap in that final is New South Wales representative Mason Bigeni and Flash.
The Shetland ID22 Final is next at 6:50pm where one of the youngest of the pony trot drivers, Ebony Mason, who is also a Victorian representative, will drive Coco off the front handicap.
Fellow Victorian representative Amelia Walliss is back with her in-form pony Lightning Jack and they will start off a 650m handicap.
Lightning Jack has good form, having won two Pony Trot Inter Dominion heats there recently.
There are two representatives from Queensland in this final with Luke Thirgood and Meaghan McNee, two from South Australia with Marnee Formosa and Charli Brown as well as NSW with Rylee Kiddle and George Lee.
The Pony ID22 Final is next at 7:17pm with drivers from five different states as well as two representatives from NZ competing.
The likes of JB Sparkle, Sugar Rush, Blaze and Velvets Little Star will go head-to-head for the big prizes on offer and will start of handicaps ranging from 800m to 910m.
All interstate and overseas drivers have been allocated a Victorian pony for the series.
“Each pony has participated in a lengthy selection process,” said Lewis.
