French joins awards race

TALENTED reinswoman Tayla French is in the running for Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year award for 2022.

The Bendigo-based harness racing driver was joint winner for December with water skiing champion Jason Sleep.

Victory in the Haras de Trotteurs Australasian Young Drivers Championship capped a memorable year for French.

The championship was a nine-race showdown across five meetings at four Victorian tracks.

French teamed with the Julie Douglas-trained Major Watson to win the ninth and last race in the series at Melton.

Originally from Heathcote, French was the fourth female in a row to win the prestigious title in a series that involved racing at Melton twice as well as Ballarat, Maryborough and Bendigo’s Lord’s Raceway.

The championship involved drivers from New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia.

Victory in the Haras de Trotteurs Australasian Young Drivers Championship capped a memorable year.

On the night of the championship final she was at the reins of Parisian Artiste in the $250,000 Sentrack Inter Dominion Trotting Championship grand final.

Trained by French’s partner Alex Ashwood, Parisian Artiste was sixth as Just Believe charged to victory. It was French’s first Inter Dominion final.

In 2022, French racked up more than 70 wins and also passed the 200-mark for career victories. Her previous best tally of wins in a season was 69 in 2021.

It’s been a busy time for Team Ashwood-French as they build their training complex between Axedale and Knowsley.

Among the highs of last season for French were the Maryborough and Swan Hill Trotters Cups and VicBred Platinum Trotting Mares Sprint Championship.

Her involvement with harness racing began many years ago helping her dad Terry who is still training horses in Heathcote.

Previous monthly winners in Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year from the world of harness racing are Anthony Crossland, Darryl and Glenn Douglas, Brian Gath, Ken and Roma Pocock.