1Equine Australasian Young Drivers Championship - Jordan Leedham
The 2026 1Equine Australasian Young Drivers Championships will be held in New Zealand from the 4th November with it’s 9 heats run at Cambridge, Alexandra Park and Ashburton and the final heat run on 10th November at Go Media New Zealand Cup Day at Addington.
Twenty three year old Jordan Leedham will represent Victorian in this years championship.
He doesn’t have any immediate family links to harness racing but his great uncle Stan Leedham owned Chamfer’s Star which won the 1966 Inter Dominion Pacing Grand Final, beating Robin Dundee by a long head.
Leedham works for Andy and Kath Gath.
“I’ve been there five years. They’ve been awesome to me and my career, giving me plenty of opportunities on some nice horses in some nice races.”
Jordan has driven 432 winners, his biggest feature win was on Kitzbuhel Delight in the $100,000 Listed Nutrien Equine Classic.
Leedham has been to New Zealand once before, as a one year old when his family came over to Masterton for the Golden Shears.
“My uncle was a professional shearer so Mum came over to watch and baby-sit their kids.”
Jordan’s favourite horse to watch out for is Keayang Zahara and like all young drivers aspires to driving a Group One winner.
He confesses he doesn’t know too much about the horses and harness racing in New Zealand.
“I’ve probably watched a wee bit of it especially after I found out that I was heading over. It’s a different style to what I’ve been used to over here. Since I got the news that I was heading over, that’s all I’ve been thinking about.”
Victorian drivers have been successful twelve times – James Herbertson in 2025, Tayla French 2022, Ellen Tormey 2012, Michael Bellman 2002, Kerryn Manning 2001, David Miles 1995, David Miles 1994, John J Caldow 1988, John J Caldow 1987, Helen Benger 1985, Andrew Peace 1982 and Peter Caldow 1981.
by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink
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