Glenmore Park’s Hayden Green recently made a successful return to the sport of harness racing, taking part in the Indigenous Drivers Series after several years away from the sport.

The talented local driver was excited to return to the trots and participated in the series when it first began seven years ago. “I was fortunate enough to have been invited to participate in the inaugural series all the way back in 2011.

It was the first time in Australian harness racing history that a race for drivers of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Island heritage was ever held” said Hayden.

Green continued to ride three more times in the Indigenous Drivers Series before leaving the industry to further his studies. He began studying in Community Services, where he became a Case Worker in the out of home care sector for Kari. Kari are also major sponsors of the series.

Hayden got his start in harness racing at the age of just 5 and drove mini trots in Sydney. He moved to Queensland with his family when he was 10 and soon progressed to become a junior driver at the age of 16.

“I was fortunate enough to win several races and to train and drive my best horse ‘Jaccka Limon’ who earned just over $150,000 in his career. Whilst in Queensland, I was also the trainer for Jonathan Brown, the former Captain of the Brisbane Lions AFL club” Green explained.

He plans to participate in the series and then return to working as a Case Worker in the community. If the opportunity comes for him to train horses full time in the future, he may consider returning as a trainer.

“Harness racing is a very family-oriented sport. It’s something I believe you are never able to just walk away from, it is a very tight knit family-like sport. All my friends and family are in harness racing. My brother Lleyton, who is 14, has started to work as a stable hand, I am excited to see him begin his career too” ended Hayden.

Hayden Green in his racing silks | Image: Lleyton Green