Michael House carries New Zealand hopes into world championships

Michael House’s about to start his bid to be a world champion.

One of racing’s more colourful characters, the high profile Canterbury-based trainer is in Malta for the harness racing World Amateur Driving Championships which will be held this weekend.

He will go head to head with 11 other international drivers from Austria, Belgium, USA, Germany, Australia, Italy, Malta , The Netherlands, Norway, Argentina and Sweden.

While many world championships are run over consecutive days at different venues, and sometimes even different countries, this world championship will be decided on the one day.

The Malta Equidrome will host eight races, the driver with the most points at the end of it will be crowned world champion. The races will be held in the early hours of Monday morning (NZT).

It is Malta’s first time as host and comes four years after Maltese driver Cliferty Calleja won the championship in Italy. Their representative this year will be Redent Magro.

House will be out to emulate New Zealand’s last and only world amateur driving champion Gavin Cook who won it in 2008.

At the last championships, in Finland in 2024, it was Cheree Wigg who was New Zealand’s representative, finishing third.

House qualified for the event after winning the New Zealand Amateur Driving Championship in June 2025, with this year’s winner being John Kriechbaumer.

House switched to the amateurs in 2023 and has had 14 wins there overall, including three this year. He is currently fourth in the trainers’ premiership with 51 wins in 2026.

by Dave Di Somma, for Harness News Desk