Finland native Anna Hiltunen will be making her Australian debut in the coming weeks after completing her required trials, with another junior driver set to emerge here in the west.
No stranger to the sulky or racing for that matter, Hiltunen decided she wanted more for her life and wanted to experience more racing and in August 2024 she made the move to Western Australia where she took up a position working for Barry Howlett in the seaside city of Busselton in WA’s south.
“I was driving a truck in Finland for the last two years and I was getting bored, and I just think ‘Ok, I can move to Australia with nothing big happening, I want something different.
“I want racing here, I want to know how racing works here in Australia.”
Hiltunen is no stranger to racing, an accomplished driver and jockey in Finland, Sweden and France, her love of horses is where her journey started and eventually saw her travelling between countries and at just 24-years-old, she has already won approximately 20 races.
“I just liked horses, and I started riding horses and then I find some stable, a harness racing stable, and I got my licence, and after that I was racing all the time.
“It’s similar (to driving trotters in Finland), it’s only different because we only have trotters, we don’t have pacers, so it’s a little bit different, but almost the same.
“And of course the standing start is different to what we have in Finland.” Hiltunen said.
Excited to finally make her WA debut, her only concern is whether she will get the opportunities to drive as she is a completely new face around the trots, but she is eager to get out there and give it her best shot.
“No, I don’t worry, I think it’s a little bit different, but I was driving in Sweden and France, and I think every place is the same, I don’t get too worried.”
With numerous types of racing in Finland, Hiltunen has had success as a monte rider, with 8 wins in the saddle from 2020 – 2024.
Racing WA’s driving master Aldo Cortopassi is excited to see a new driver emerge.
“I’m excited to see her get out there and compete.
“She’s won races in Europe and looks to have a good set of hands from driving trotters all her life.”
