Talented harness racing participant Dylan Ford has been selected to represent Tasmania at the upcoming Australasian Young Drivers’ Championship in New Zealand.

The teenager will compete in the series for the second time against drivers from all Australian states and the North and South Islands of New Zealand.

Ford, 19, was the automatic Tasmanian selection after being last season’s premier young driver.

First licensed as a 16-year-old, Ford finished second in the 2011/12 Tasmanian junior driver award and ninth in the state’s leading driver award. 

Ford has won the past two junior driver titles, and after four months of this season, leads the award while sitting sixth on the overall state premiership.

Ford finished second in the 2014 Australasian Young Drivers’ Championship in New South Wales after winning three of the 10 heats, including the $50,000 heat at Menangle. 

Ford is thrilled to be selected again and is hoping to go one or two better than last year.

“I’m thrilled to again be selected as Tasmania’s representative at these driving championships because it is an honor to represent your state in any sport,” Ford said.

Ford was presented with the state set of colours in Hobart last night.

“I was thrilled when first told of my selection a few weeks ago, but when you actually get the state colours and put them on it feels quite special,” Ford said.

Ford also has taken to training and he was quite successful in his first year as a trainer.

The Australasian Young Drivers’ Championship starts at Cambridge on May 7 in the North Island of New Zealand followed by Auckland the next day.

The series continues on May 9 where the action moves south to Christchurch and concludes the next day at Timaru.

• PETER STAPLES