Bella Youngberry climbing the ladder

By Jordan Gerrans and Andrew Smith

Promising Gold Coast hoop Bella Youngberry has set her sights on claiming the provincial apprentice title as the business end of the 2025-56 campaign looms.

Announced on Thursday as a member of Queensland’s National Apprentice Race Series team for 2026, the 19-year-old has quickly climbed the ladder of the jockey ranks in the Sunshine State. 

Originally indentured to Allan Chau at the Gold Coast when her career commenced in early 2024, Youngberry had a stint in the Central West with Bevan Johnson before heading to the Northern Rivers of New South Wales for a period of time under Brett Bellamy. 

She has eventually found her way to Adam Campton’s barn at the Gold Coast, which has helped her rise in prominence sharply. 

Youngberry sits second on the table for the provincial apprentice title with 24 winners, which makes her two adrift of NARS teammate Leah Martyn.

Martyn and Youngberry will be on the same side when it comes to their NARS pursuits, but in week-to-week racing, they will be opponents in a bid to claim the coveted crown.

“For the rest of the season, I'd love to take out the Gold Coast premiership,” Youngberry said.

“I'd love to have a good crack at the Queensland provincial premiership, as well. 

“Obviously, I will be starting to look at town when the winter's over and the Sydney jockeys go back home after the carnival.”

Youngberry trails Brandon Lerena by three winners in pursuit of the premiership at the Gold Coast for the campaign.  

She says she idolises city riders Angela Jones and Cejay Graham as she aims to follow in their footsteps in the coming years.

The move to the Campton stable in early September has arguably been the turning point in the career of Youngberry.

Youngberry enjoyed some success on the non-TAB circuit with the Johnson family in regional Queensland but the move back to the Gold Coast has put her name up in lights.

She regularly picks up quality rides from top local trainer Toby Edmonds, among others, and she has made the most of her opportunities.

“She's absolutely flying,” Campton said of his emerging apprentice.

“Her results obviously show how good she's going. She is another great young talent, a young lady that is very driven and wants to succeed.

“From where she started, I remember when Bella first started here on the Gold Coast, she had a lot to learn and she's just continued to get better and better at every single race meeting.

“She is really driven and she wants to be good. She has had some incredible support of late and she's taking the opportunities with both hands.

“We'll look to move to the metropolitan area in the new season with Bella.”

While Youngberry’s pursuit of the Queensland provincial apprentice title in the coming months will be a focus, it does not tell the entire story when it comes to the keen youngster.

She regularly rides on the Northern Rivers of NSW, headlined by a double at Murwillumbah in late January, which she has also ridden on the country circuit at times in Queensland this campaign.

Racing Queensland Apprentice Jockey Coach Michael Cahill declared Youngberry well and truly deserved her position on the NARS team.

“Bella's another one that's continuing to improve,” Cahill said.

“She gets better and better. 

"She's ridden now predominantly on the provincial circuit here in South East Queensland as well as the Northern Rivers circuit in New South Wales.

“Bella just continues to improve. 

“She's riding winners' week-in and week-out and being involved in NARS will only further her experience.”

Youngberry credited her master Campton for putting her mind at ease when she stepped up to regularly riding at the Gold Coast on a Saturday afternoon.

It was a significant shift from competing at low-key non-TAB races in the bush in Queensland or a midweek meeting in Northern NSW.

“Adam's really good with the mental side of things, just making sure that I'm really confident out on the track,” the young hoop says.

“With that confidence showing through, a few of the other trainers around have been following in his footsteps and giving me more rides. 

“Adam always tells me to take one negative and one positive away from every race day and just not to let your mind get too clouded.

“What's happened on the day's happened and when you've got rides the next day, it's your duty to forget about or not ponder so much on what's happened on that day and not let it worry you.

“It is important just move on a bit quicker and be better for the next day.

“Adam's been a really big help and he's made it quite an easy transition.”

As well as her boss Campton, Youngberry believes the efforts of her manager Ryan Crawford have also been instrumental in lifting her profile to collect more opportunities.

Crawford notes that it wasn’t long ago that his client was flying to regional Queensland chasing rides in the bush.

“She has had somewhat of a meteoric rise over the last few months,” Crawford said.

“The move back to Gold Coast has helped her flourish.

“She looks a star on the rise.”

In her bid to overturn Martyn in the premiership race, Youngberry heads to the Gold Coast on Saturday for four rides.

Martyn has five rides on the same program. 

Youngberry will bring the Queensland NARS team home in 2026 as she rides the last leg of the series at Murray Bridge, South Australia in late April.