McStay installed as harness intern

Another fresh face will be a regular at Victorian racetracks after Montana McStay was installed as Community College Gippsland/Harness Racing Victoria’s second participant intern.

Coming after 2016 intern Michelle Phillips blazed a trail through the industry’s leading stables to hold the reins of some of the sport’s finest, McStay has begun a lengthy stint with Kerryn Manning’s Great Western stable.

McStay advanced from Gippsland Harness Training Centre courses to be chosen for the opportunity, and centre manager Jenni Lewis said the 19-year-old had quickly found her feet.

McStay said she was introduced to standardbred horses through family, and when a window opened to make a career of the sport she dove in.

“My Aunty, Angela Ward, raced a couple of trotters and pacers in New South Wales when I was younger and she would try to get me into standardbreds,” she said.

“I would help out, but didn’t have a lot more to do with them until I came down to the college.

“Then I discovered the course was hands-on and not just bookwork. You get to experience the practical side of it.”

And, now that the course has evolved into an internship, McStay can’t wait to delve into the industry’s many sectors.

“I will get to experience a lot of the industry and see how various trainers work, you get to see what it all works towards,” she said.

“I reckon it’s going to be a great opportunity. I just love working with horses and getting to see all the different techniques that go into getting a horse to perform to its ability will be terrific.”