15 January 2022
The Wagga Harness Racing Club has acknowledged its leading participants following the completion of the 2021 season.
It was a year of considerable highlights at the Riverina Paceway, including Group 1 accolades, new track records, fairytale stories and the establishment of the inaugural Riverina Championships across the Easter weekend.
Capping off a wonderful season, the team of Jackson Painting and David Kennedy have been crowned as top driver and trainer at Riverina Paceway.
Painting, 35, held the lead over nearest rival Blake Jones throughout the majority of the season to win the Driving Premiership with 321 points over Jones’ 277.5 points.
Painting has been regular in the Riverina for many years and has amassed over 500 wins and more than $2.6 million in career earnings.
In the training category, David Kennedy has once again been awarded the Training Premiership title. The 55-year-old conditioner put together a strong campaign throughout 2021 and ended the year with 240 points over nearest rival Ellen Bartley with 138 points.
Kennedy, a resident of Narrandera, has been a leading trainer in the region for decades with over 700 lifetime wins as a trainer and more than $3.6 million in earnings. Kennedy has also been victorious in two Group 1 events.
Flaneur, a nine-year-old son of Bettors Delight, won the 2021 Horse of the Year Premiership with 24 points, one point ahead of Are Double You and Rhianna Reigns. Flaneur is trained and owned by Gary Lang of Wagga Wagga. The veteran pacer has made 219 lifetime starts and has earned more than $125,000 in his career.
The 2021 Premiership Awards will be presented during the 1 February Race Meeting at Riverina Paceway.