By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
Queensland teenager, Nikki Wilson, and He’s All That, are the toast of the Redcliffe Harness Racing Club.
The Coolana 15-year-old, who is a Redcliffe Mini Trotting regular, is the club’s only 2023 Inter Dominion champion – despite Queensland clean-sweeping all three grand finals at ‘The Creek’ last Saturday night (December 16).
Wilson described the 20-metre all-the-way victory in the ‘Inters Mini Division’ as the highlight of both her brief racing career, and life – outside family. (Full results and photos can be viewed at the bottom of this story).
“It was an absolutely amazing feeling. More of a relief than anything because turning for home I was in front by a long way, and just hoped he would stay down. Thankfully, he (He’s All That ) didn’t gallop, and in the end we won quite easily. What a feeling that was!
“When I crossed the line first I suddenly realised what I had achieved. It’s a moment I’ll never forget. I thought about all the other former Inter Dominion Mini Trot winners, who have now gone on to have successful driving careers. That’s all I want to do now. I want to drive for a living when I leave school,” said Wilson who has just completed Year 10 at Lowood High School.
“It was a dream come true. I have so many people I want to thank, especially David Rodger, who gave me my first pony,” Wilson said.
She said Rodger allowed her to use his horses and track, and then she said Gary and Joedy Whittaker also gave her a solid education in harness racing and let her drive the big horses.
“They are two drivers I really look up to. I also like the way Taleah McMullen drives. She has lovely hands and really gets the horses to go. But I’ll never forget David introducing me to the sport only a couple of years ago. I’d also like to thank Barry Williams from Tamworth who gave me great ‘go-to-the-front advice in the Final,” Wilson said.
“He’s probably the reason why I want to become a harness racing driver when I leave school or Tafe. I’m a proud Queenslander and want to reach the top in harness racing one day,” she added.
Wilson said her parents, Ashley and Colleen, had made her mini trotting career possible, with encouragement and the purchase of Inter Dominion champion, He’s All That, from a rehoming centre when he was just two. He’s now rising five.
“I am very grateful to Mum and Dad for what they have done for me. I just love him, and I’ll never forget what he’s achieved for me. He thinks he’s just a big horse in a little pony’s body. We’ve won plenty of races at Redcliffe and Albion Park, but I’ve never won any big races before. This is a lifetime highlight,” said Wilson, who has just two more Redcliffe meetings this month before the 2023 Mini Trot season comes to an end.
Wilson is the middle child of three. Her older sister Makayla Vieritz is 23, and younger brother Dominick is 13. She said she wanted to thank the New Zealand team for flying all this way to compete – especially Olivia Thomas and her family, who were so supportive.
RESULTS:
2023 Mini Inter Dominion:
NIKKI WILSON and HE’S ALL THAT (4yo – Queensland) 1; Ella Turnbull and Lancelot (NSW) 2; Lara Whittaker and Chuck Norris (Qld) 3.
Pony Inter Dominion:
Holly Chalmers and Velvets Little Star (Qld) 1; Briana Davis and Toogoodforyou (Qld) 2; Zeke Fitness and Fabian (Qld) 3.
Shetland Inter Dominion:
Ella Gillies and Beau Knows (Qld) 1; Rylee Kiddle and Mr Rocketfuel (NSW) 2; Savannah Chalmers and Courtneys Crusader (Qld) 3.
Photos courtesy of the Queensland Mini Trotting Sporting Association. More 2023 Inter Dominion photos can be viewed by copying and pasting the link here:
https://www.facebook.com/QMTSAI?mibextid=LQQJ4d
For the record: So where do the Wilson’s live? Coolana is a rural locality in the Somerset Region, Queensland – 67km west of Brisbane. In the 2021 census, Coolana had a population of 175.
