Harness Racing Victoria Stipendiary Steward Thomas Penny talks about his background in the sport, his new gig and what integrity means to him.
Tell us about your background and how you become involved as a steward in harness racing?
I grew up in Harvey, in the south-west of Western Australia where my grandfather, Eric Penny, was heavily involved in the Harvey Trotting Association and the WA Spider Fund.
This led to a keen interest in racing from a young age, with a goal of being in the administration side of racing after finishing high school.
Shortly after completing a degree in International Business at Murdoch University, a cadetship became available at Racing and Wagering Western Australia, which gave me exposure to all three racing codes, with the majority of my cadetship based in harness racing.
After 18 months as a cadet, I was upgraded to a steward earlier this year.
How long have you been at Harness Racing Victoria and how are you enjoying the role?
I started with Harness Racing Victoria in August 2020. I am thoroughly enjoying being part of a great team and learning new ways of working.
Every day is a new challenge, which is what attracted me to becoming a steward.
What does integrity mean to you?
I think common sense, consistency and transparency are the three main aspects of integrity that need to be adhered to be successful in the role.