Team Teal WA - Joccelyn Young, Maddison Brown, Emily Suvaljko, Briana Edman & Deni Roberts Photo by PacePix
Talented trainers Jocelyn Young and Jemma Hayman are joining gun drivers Deni Roberts and Emily Suvaljko as Team Teal ambassadors in the race for women’s cancer research.
Western Australia’s seasoned campaigners Deni and Emily oversaw a record 67 harness race wins for women drivers wearing the famous teal trousers last year and they’re looking for even greater victories with Jocelyn and Jemma on the team.
Jemma said supporting the women’s cancer cause was the perfect fit for her harness racing approach, having set up an all-women ownership group and developing an affinity with mares, including champions Double Expresso and Taking the Miki.
“Mares can be tricky and sometimes you have to modify your training to get along with them but once you click with a mare, they’ll do anything for you,” Jemma said.
“Miki is small but has a lot of heart. She’s very competitive and loves what she does.
Team Teal ambassador trainer Jemma Hayman
“My goal is to get as many winners as possible alongside reinswomen wearing teal and it would be awesome if Miki won a feature race during the campaign to boost attention for the cause.
“For every win our stable scores between February 1 and March 15, I’ll be donating $50 from the trainer’s prize money to Team Teal.”
Jocelyn, who comes from a WA harness family dynasty, has a strong connection to Team Teal across a lifetime in racing.
“Both sides of my family are in harness racing so I grew up doing pony club and pony trots,” she said.
“My first harness experience was with a cow I tried to train with my sisters at our grandparents’ farm. She didn’t steer very well and just ran wherever she wanted to go – but it was a thrill.
“I’ve learned a lot since then as both a trainer and driver so I’m looking forward to more success during the Team Teal campaign because I understand the impact of ovarian cancer.
“Team Teal is well known in harness racing but when I wear the teal pants each year, I always get asked about them so it’s a chance to spread the word in the wider community.”
Harness racers across Australia and New Zealand support the annual WomenCan fundraiser and, in recent years, WA ambassadors Deni Roberts and Emily Suvaljko have been leading the way for local reinswomen with a sizzling run of success.
Deni scored 30 wins during last years’ campaign as part of a stellar racing season which included 201 wins and placed her as runner up on the WA drivers’ premiership table to Gary Hall Jr.
“I am so proud of our team, we knocked it out of the park,” Deni said.
Emily notched up 16 wins and said smashing the record showed female drivers were getting better opportunities in racing.
“It feels great to have a good period like that, as it’s going towards such a worthy cause,” she said.
This month, Frocks at the Trots fundRACING events have been launched as part of Team Teal, with racegoers invited to gather friends for teal-themed parties on course.
Racing WA and The Trots WA are donating $15,000 to the campaign to raise funds for gynaecological cancer research, education and prevention programs.
Alongside WA's Team Teal ambassadors are reinswomen Maddison Brown, Emily Johnson, Lauren Harper and Briana Edman. Team Teal WA has had an excellent start to the campaign, with Deni Roberts steering the first two Team Teal WA winners, Louis Rouge NZ at Bunbury on Saturday night and When In Vegas yesterday at Pinjarra. Adding to the tally at Pinjarra yesterday were Jocelyn Young, Maddison Brown and Briana Edman all driving winners!
Donations to Team Teal WA can be made at here.
