TALENTED reinswoman Tayla French is in the running for Bendigo\u2019s Sports Star of the Year award for 2022.<\/p>\n
The Bendigo-based harness racing driver was joint winner for December with water skiing champion Jason Sleep.<\/p>\n
Victory in the Haras de Trotteurs Australasian Young Drivers Championship capped a memorable year for French.<\/p>\n
The championship was a nine-race showdown across five meetings at four Victorian tracks.<\/p>\n
French teamed with the Julie Douglas-trained Major Watson to win the ninth and last race in the series at Melton.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s Lord\u2019s Raceway.<\/p>\n
The championship involved drivers from New Zealand, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, and Western Australia.<\/p>\n
Victory in the Haras de Trotteurs Australasian Young Drivers Championship capped a memorable year.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Trained by French\u2019s partner Alex Ashwood, Parisian Artiste was sixth as Just Believe charged to victory. It was French\u2019s first Inter Dominion final.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s been a busy time for Team Ashwood-French as they build their training complex between Axedale and Knowsley.<\/p>\n
Among the highs of last season for French were the Maryborough and Swan Hill Trotters Cups and VicBred Platinum Trotting Mares Sprint Championship.<\/p>\n
Her involvement with harness racing began many years ago helping her dad Terry who is still training horses in Heathcote.<\/p>\n
Previous monthly winners in Bendigo\u2019s Sports Star of the Year from the world of harness racing are Anthony Crossland, Darryl and Glenn Douglas, Brian Gath, Ken and Roma Pocock.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
TALENTED reinswoman Tayla French is in the running for Bendigo\u2019s 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 […]<\/p>\n