Race Images South
In her final season in Kidz Kartz, Cambridge driver Jordyn Bublitz was able to take out the Kidz Kartz New Zealand Cup at Addington earlier this month behind her pony Chaos.
The 17-year-old horsewoman finished runner-up in the race last year and she was ecstatic to have gone one better in this year’s event.
“It was amazing, it was very overwhelming at first,” Bublitz said. “It didn’t really hit home that I’d won it until we were in the winner’s circle, but it felt great.
“I’ve been involved in Kidz Kartz for about eight years now and I’ve been involved in two (Kidz Kartz) New Zealand Cups.
“It was great to win it this year after coming so close last year.”
The daughter of Cambridge trainer Andrew Bublitz, Jordyn has always had an interest in the sport and has gained a lot of experience in recent years with a number of local trainers.
“I got into harness racing through my Dad. He’s been training since I was little, so I’d always be the kid going out with him and I begged him until he let me do it (drive),” Bublitz said.
“I help out my Dad and I also work for Ross Paynter during the holidays. Ross has taught me a lot, along with Wendy and Peter Ferguson as well as my Dad.”
Bublitz, who owns her Kidz Kartz pony Chaos, said she really enjoyed her experience at Addington, but was concerned about the long trip south with her pony.
“Chaos is our horse, we bought him off Denise and Murray Goldsworthy up in Kumeu last year,” she said.
“It was a really long road trip and I was quite worried going down that he might do something funny in the float. But when we got there it was so great, the atmosphere and environment down there is just so amazing.”
An added bonus of the victory for Bublitz was receiving the winning trophy from her idol in the industry, Natalie Rasmussen.
“I was ecstatic about that,” she said. “I had completely forgotten they present a trophy, so I was very happy.
“I really look up to Natalie as well as Mark Purdon, just the way they train, I love what they do.”
Bublitz is closely following the Australasian Junior Drivers Championships in Australia at present, and hopes to follow in the foot-steps of New Zealand representatives Sheree Tomlinson and Alicia Harrison.
“I’m looking up to them quite a lot at the moment. They are definitely doing what I want to do, they are doing so well.”
Bublitz is savouring her final season in Kidz Kartz, but is looking forward to next year when she will begin the process of attaining her junior driver license.
“My plan is to become a junior driver and hopefully one day train,” she said.
“This is my last season in Kidz Kartz, so I’m aiming to get my trials license after this Kidz Kartz season, which will finish in March sometime.” – Cambridge Raceway
