Spotlight on our (Rising) Stars - Tegan Newman

Apprentice jockey Tegan Newman is a new addition to the Te Akau team.

Joining Wiremu Pinn and Dennis Tan, who have both commenced riding at the trials, 21 year old Newman already has a race day victory from a total of seven rides and begins riding for Te Akau on Wednesday aboard Esprit De Corps (Bel Esprit) at Matamata.

“Tegan was a young woman that came to us wanting to broaden her opportunities,” said Te Akau principal David Ellis.

“I'd seen her riding at the trials, was there to see her win her first race day ride on Matamata Breeders' Stakes' day in February this year, and she's a young lady that claims a valuable four-kilos which is such an advantage at this time of year on rain-affected tracks.

“She's an exceptionally talented and polished rider, with a highly successful career behind her on ponies and show-jumping and we're thrilled to have her as part of the team.

“She has settled in very well with all of the staff, gets on with everyone, is very polite, works really hard and she is someone I think deserves every opportunity ahead of her.

“Her partner Daniel Miller is one of the most important parts of our whole team. They're a great couple and we're really looking forward to seeing Tegan riding in the tangerine this week and then at the trials on 1 August at Te Teko,” he said.

Growing up on a diary farm near Kerikeri, in the Bay of Islands, the youngest of three children, and introduced to horses by her mother, Tegan dreamt from a young age of becoming a jockey.

“I grew up with horses, show-jumping around the North Island,” Newman said.

“I competed in pony Grand Prix, won Pony of the Year in 2012 at the Horse of the Year Show, then I moved onto hacks doing junior riders and after a couple of years Mum agreed that I could start my jockey apprenticeship and I moved to Matamata.

“It was a good feeling getting my first winner, especially on Breeders' Stakes' Day, and a feeling I definitely want to experience a lot more,” said Newman, who looked accomplished in every respect as she circled from off the pace and spaced her opposition in the straight under a hand ride to win by four lengths aboard Massofdash (Align).

With four weeks under her belt at Te Akau Racing stables, Newman is already enjoying an increased amount of riding.

“I really love it and I'm riding up to twelve each morning, and getting a good understanding of all the different horses,” she said. “The quality of horses is amazing; underneath, especially when you are doing gallops and even the young two-year-olds are so well put together, move well, and give you a great feeling.

“I get along with geldings really well and love riding Chance to Dance. He's got a cool attitude towards everything. He's got a bit of cheek about him as well, which I really enjoy. I also really like the two-year-old Commands filly out of Donna Sienna.”

Newman also praised riding master Noel Harris for his involvement with apprentice jockeys.

“Noel is really good,” she said. “He's always there at the trials and race day helping everyone when they need it. At Apprentice School, he puts up the good races and bad races and talks us through what's happened and he always gives good feedback about what the trainers say. If you need help, Noel is always there.

“I'm really pleased to have joined Te Akau and being given a chance to go further in my career. Everybody does the job and works together as a team here, which I really like, and we all get along.

“I think that physically I'm pretty strong, but it's getting to the next level of riding strength that I'm looking forward to - when you can really push out - and that comes with riding more horses in work, at the trials, and race day.”