TASMANIA’S harness racing industry is in mourning following the tragic death of popular trainer-driver David Medhurst.
The 26-year-old was killed as a result of a head-on car accident on Boyer Road New Norfolk on Wednesday night.
Medhurst was born into a harness racing family and following a short stint interstate after he left St Virgil’s College he set about gaining work experience in the industry that eventually led to him to taking out an owner-trainer licence.
Medhurst’s first winner was Doctor Casey at Burnie in April 2007 and he then purchased Loaded To Run for $500 and that horse won multiple races to kick start his training career.
He graduated to a full trainer’s licence in 2008 and continued to hone his skills both in the sulky and with training methods that promised to earn him a successful career in the industry.
In 2009 Medhurst represented Tasmania in the Australasian Young Drivers Championship.
David will be sadly missed by everyone in the industry and it is an absolute tragedy that someone with so much talent should lose his life at such a tender age.
– Peter Staples.