Harness Racing
Training
Harness Racing trainers in New Zealand play a vital role in the country’s thriving harness racing industry. These professionals condition Standardbred horses to compete in either trotting (diagonal gait) or pacing (lateral gait) races. With a rich heritage and dedicated support from clubs and enthusiasts, New Zealand trainers are globally respected for their skill, dedication, and success on both domestic and international tracks.
They use specialized training regimes, tailored nutrition, and advanced care to develop peak performance. Their efforts contribute significantly to the training and racing of elite Harness Racing horses across the nation and beyond.
Harness Racing
Harness racing is a longstanding and respected discipline in New Zealand’s equestrian and sporting landscape. Unlike thoroughbred racing where horses gallop with a jockey on their back, Harness Racing involves horses pulling a lightweight, two-wheeled cart known as a sulky, driven by a person called a driver. In trotting races, horses maintain a diagonal gait where opposite legs move in unison. This is distinct from pacing, the more dominant gait in New Zealand harness racing, where horses move the legs on the same side together.
Although pacers dominate the harness racing scene in New Zealand, both in terms of number of races and prize money, trotters hold a special place due to the skill required to train and drive them. Trotting demands a higher degree of balance, rhythm, and control from both the horse and the driver, and is often seen as a more challenging gait to maintain throughout a race.
The sport is overseen by Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ), the governing body that organises race days, sets standards, and supports breeders and trainers. Pacing and Trotting races take place across the country, with notable venues including Addington Raceway in Christchurch, Alexandra Park in Auckland, and regional raceways nationwide.
New Zealand is renowned for its strong breeding and training industry, particularly in the Canterbury region. The country has produced many world-class pacers and trotters.
Harness racing maintains a loyal following, especially in rural communities. Industry stakeholders have made ongoing efforts to modernise and promote the sport, including digital broadcasts and youth engagement programs like Kidz Kartz, which introduces children to harness racing in a safe, fun environment.
Harness Racing in New Zealand is more than a sport—it’s a blend of tradition, athleticism, and community spirit. Whether at the elite level or in grassroots events, it continues to thrive as an integral part of this country’s racing culture.
Harness Racing owners and syndicators in New Zealand play a vital role in the country’s thriving harness racing industry where Standardbred horses compete in either trotting (diagonal gait) or pacing (lateral gait) races.
Life After Racing
In New Zealand, Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) and The New Zealand Trotting Owners Association (NZTOA) actively promotes the rehoming of Standardbred horses for second careers after their racing days.
Several initiatives and organisations are dedicated to facilitating this transition, including the Harness Education & Rehoming Opportunities (HERO) program and the Stable to Stirrup Charitable Trust. There are also a number of individuals who actively help to rehome horses.
