MacKay Making Impact Overseas

Driver Tammy MacKay is doing Canada proud at the North America vs. Norway International Ladies' Driving Challenge in Norway, earning rave reviews for her performance

.

"The races over here are quite different from home with 10 to 15 horse fields," MacKay told Trot Insider. "We raced in a 10-horse field, all warmbloods. They pay the top six finishers and in a race with 15 horses they pay the top eight."

Despite the differences, the 39-year-old Truro, Nova Scotia resident earned a second place finish in her first start at Leangen Travbane in Trondheim on Monday, May 16. Also representing North America, New Jersey's Stacy Chiodo was the winner while Ontario's Ann-Karin Larsen finished fourth.

"Stacy was excited with her win but she beat me," laughed MacKay. "We both got tipped -- the trainers were very happy with us. The trainer of the horse that I was second with was so excited after the race that he came back and showed me his lines and told me that his trotter went three seconds faster than the previous start so that was great!"

The owner and trainer of MacKay's mount Mystical Sensation was extremely pleased with her drive.

"Tammy drove Mystical Sensation very well and was in the lead right from the start to the end of the last turn but was sprinted down the finish line," commented Jan Ketil Brattås. "As owner and trainer of Mystical Sensation, I'm very pleased with how Tammy drove."

In the second race of the competition, Chiodo finished second with MacKay sixth and Larsen seventh. The ladies will make a six hour trek to Biri on Thursday for the final leg, which takes place on Friday night.