Len Davies, of West Wyalong, is the grandson of the original owner of the Bennett waggon used in the Australian record 62 horse team at the Barellan Good Old Days Festival in 2025.

His grandfather, JT “Tommy” Davies selected the farm “Lantarnam” at Calleen in 1901 at the age of 19. Tommy was one of 11 children and struck out with his older brother to go farming on the scrub lease of 2500 acres.

Two years later he brought his new bride Daisy to the two roomed cottage on the farm. He was an excellent horseman and he owned two 10 tonne horse waggons made by James Bennett at the factory in St Mary’s in Sydney.

He ran 14-horse teams in both of the waggons and carted wheat bags to the Calleen siding each harvest.

The record breaking waggon was sold in a clearing sale in 1945 and secured by Tommy’s nephew Viv Davies at Caragabal.

The waggon then changed hands again and was donated to the Lachlan Vintage Village. When the Village was closed, the waggon went into Viv’s shed and eventually sold to Ian Dahlenburg, Murrami.

Ian kindly allowed the Barellan Working Clydesdales to use the waggon to set a new Australian record of 62 heavy horses harnessed to an Australian built, laden wool waggon.

The signwrighting JT Davies, West Wyalong, is still clearly visible on the waggon.

This article appeared in Narrandera Argus, 11 June 2026.