A life led by horses & chance encounters!

For Joy Ellis, horses were never just an interest – they were a calling. For as long as she can remember, she knew her life would be guided by her love for these magnificent animals.

What she couldn’t have known back then was that this passion – and a chance encounter – would one day change the course of her life forever. “Right from childhood, I just loved horses, and I was always pestering my parents for one,” Joy says.

Eventually, they relented, buying her a thoroughbred for what Joy recalls was “30 pounds in those days.” It became her constant companion, hacking around the countryside with friends and riding down to the beach.

Joy knew early on that an indoor job was never going to suit her. “I’m an outside person,” she explains. “I wanted to either farm or work with horses.” One of the most defining moments of her life came unexpectedly.

Standing by the letterbox one day while working on a farm job she disliked, Joy struck up a conversation with a man riding past on horseback. “That was one of those life-changing moments for me,” she says. The rider was Ivan Tucker, a leading horse trainer based near Takanini. Before long, her introduction to the racing world had begun.

Walking into the stables for the first time remains a vivid memory. “I just walked in, and all these beautiful thoroughbred heads popped out of their stalls to see me,” she recalls. “It was just mind-boggling for me, so I begged for a job.”

Joy got the job as a horse strapper – responsible for the daily care, grooming, and preparation of racehorses – becoming one of the first women to work in a racing stable at the time.

Her career reached new heights when she was selected to travel to Australia as a strapper to Star Belle, an exceptional filly who won major races in New Zealand and Australia. While Star Belle attracted attention on the track, Joy herself became a media focus – simply because she was a woman.

“There were no girls in the racing industry in Australia,” she explains. “I had to get special permission from the Racing Club to be able to ride Star Belle. The press followed me all over the place. Many of them told me females didn’t belong in the industry,” she says.

Despite the attention, Joy never doubted her place. “Yes, they’re big and they’re strong. But if you can handle a horse, you can handle a horse. And I can handle a horse!” she smiles.

Today, Joy and husband Mike – who was Mr Tucker’s accountant – are happily retired at in the coastal suburb of Beachlands, a move that, like other chapters of her life, came about by chance.

“We were referred to this village by people we met just walking our dog on the beach, one day,” she says.

The couple now enjoy village life with their beloved Spoodle, Ellie, and her lifelong love of horses remains very much alive. Each year, she still attends the Karaka Yearling Sales, often taking groups of fellow village residents along.

“A lot of residents who have gone with us to the Karaka Sales have never had anything to do with horses, and they absolutely love it!”

As they walk through the stables and sales ring, Joy provides a running commentary. “They fire questions at me,” she says. “All about yearlings and horses and how the buying works.”

“It’s an amazing experience, you’ve got to see it to believe it,” Joy says.

Looking back, Joy’s story is one shaped by passion, perseverance and a perfectly timed encounter at a letterbox!