A little over twelve months ago, on February 17, 2018, the then 17-year-old Emily Suvaljko drove her first winner at Burwood Park in Northam behind Undercover Art.
Now 18 years old, Emily became the second youngest woman to drive a winning treble in Western Australia when she won on Sunday at Central Wheatbelt behind Jilliby Navajo, Salome Miss and Over Armed.
Only Maddison Brown who drove a winning treble at Kalgoorlie in 2014 a month short of her 18th birthday has achieved the feat at a younger age.
Maddison Brown's winning treble were each trained by Courtney Burch who can now be seen at Northam meetings as a clerk of the course.
Coincidentally Emily Suvaljko works for Maddison Brown's father Colin on a part-time basis while she studies at Edith Cowan University.
Emily now holds a massive lead on the Leading Junior Driver Award at Central Wheatbelt and has also moved into second place on the overall premiership at the club behind Dylan Egerton-Green and ahead of Kyle Harper and Chris Voak.
Over a period of 13 days ending with Sunday's meeting Emily's last 35 drives have yielded seven winners, seven seconds and three thirds.
At the last Northam meeting on March 22 Emily landed a winning double being Salome Miss $3.20 and Deflector $41.00 and she currently leads the Leading Junior Driver list at Northam.
Already this season Emily has taken out the Leading Junior Driver at Albany and currently heads the State Concession Drivers Title with Sunday's treble taking her season's tally to 29 winners, four clear of Jocelyn Young and seven wins clear of third placed Corey Peterson.
Anzacs to be honoured this Saturday night
The Northam Harness Racing Club will host the Northam RSL Sub-branch at this Saturday night's meeting at Burwood Park as part of the build-up to this year's Anzac Day commemorations.
The Northam RSL Sub-Branch is the oldest Sub-Branch in Western Australia having received its charter on May 10, 1916.
The Northam district has a proud Anzac history and in August and September 1914 the local enlistment centre was rushed with large numbers of the area's young men wanting to enlist.
Among the first to enlist were brothers Hugo and Frank (Ric) Throssell who were farming a 1000 acre property at Cowcowing.
Hugo Throssell was awarded a Victoria Cross for his bravery during fighting at Hill 60 while his brother Frank was killed in action in Palestine.
Records from the time are replete with the names of pioneers of the district including Dempster, Devenish, Lally and Chidlow.
Edward John Richards was a compositor with the Northam Advertiser when he enlisted in 1914.
It wasn't until Richards started sending his newspaper stories of life in the camp at Blackboy Hill and later from Egypt that his bosses realised that their former employee had a rare talent as a writer.
A Google search for Edward John Richards Northam provides a list of his writings which provide a personal insight into the lives of Northam's volunteers from a century ago.
Something new for children to experience this Saturday
Careers in Racing, in conjunction with Northam Pony Trots will be conducting dual-seat sulky rides at Northam Harness Racing Club this Saturday evening.
Children attending the meeting with their parents will have the chance to sit in a dual-seat sulky with one of the experienced Pony Trot drivers and their pony to get an idea of what it is like to drive a pony.
