Kyle Symington on Hillview Bondi Photo by Pacepix
Kyle Symington heads to NSW in December to represent WA in the Australasian Young Drivers Championships after an incredible 2023 season seeing the young reinsman finish the year on 102 winners, with Symington getting his first opportunity as our state representative in the series.
Symington will head to NSW on the week of December 9, with a jam-packed week of racing in store for the 22-year-old.
“I’m excited to be selected to represent WA and compete against fellow junior drivers from all around Australia.
“I think it’s a great opportunity to meet and connect with new people within the industry and a chance to learn and keep improving.”
The series gets underway on Tuesday, December 10 with two heats to be run at Menangle. The following night, Wednesday the 11th he will head to Bathurst for a further two heats, Thursday at Penrith, Newcastle on Friday and the last of the series getting under on Saturday December 14 at Menangle for the final heat, on what could be one of the most exciting nights of harness racing, 2024 Inter Dominion Grand Final night.
When asked whether he ever imagined he would be in this position when he first made his debut to the industry, Symington responded:
“Absolutely not, it took over three months to drive my first winner, but I wouldn’t be where I am today without the opportunities that have been offered to me.”
Racing WA’s Head of Harness Cameron Brown is very excited to see Kyle Symington represent WA for the first time, with Emily Suvaljko the states representative for the past four consecutive years.
“We have some very skilful young drivers in the west and it’s great to see Kyle Symington head to NSW later in the year to represent WA in the Australasian Young Driver Championship.”
Symington, who didn’t come from a harness racing background began riding at 8-years-old, first competing at shows when he was 12, and his chosen discipline of eventing was done primarily on his standardbred mare Too Busy Talking who he got off Nadia Bishop.
Getting a weekend position working for Justin Prentice in his teens, he soon caught the harness racing bug and in 2019 he hoppled his first horse called Quick Stride and the rest was history.
“I was still in school and just looking for a weekend job when a friend of mine was working at Justins place and called me one day and said they were short staffed and if I wanted a job over the holidays.
“I started the next day and worked most holidays and weekends until I finished school.”
Symington made his racing debut in 2021 and drove his first winner in August that same year on board Fleur Du Maquis at Wagin.
Kyle recently returned from a holiday in the United States, where he spent some time in an American stable, making note of the differences in training regimes between the two countries.
“It was completely different.
“They train a lot easier than the trainer I’ve worked for, and their recovery and injury care is more advanced.”
