Equestrian

Jenny Pollard. The dress code was “Relaxed Country” and the marketing called on race-goers to kit up in “Akubras and boots”. The 2025 Charlton Pacing Cup homed in on all things rural with the theme “We’re All Country” as patrons responded with gusto at last Sunday’s premier meet of the year.

Maldon and District Campdraft Club celebrated its 50th anniversary last weekend over Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 March, filled with horses, dust and riding challenges for all levels. The occasion inspired some reminiscing and a chance for some to reflect upon campdraft events in Maldon going back to the 1970s, while others were just focused on the competition!

Ty Manning. The 2025 Rising Star Show in South Australia brought together some of the country’s finest horses and riders, all vying for the opportunity to secure a spot at the 2026 Grand National Championships.

Peter Hibberd. The famous after party for the Mallee Bull Cups meeting at Birchip started early when H.R.V. stewards abandoned the last three races, for the health and safety of all concerned with continuous lightning in the local area.

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A group of Light Horse enthusiasts departed from Shepparton on Tuesday on a 700km trek to commemorate the birth and death of General Sir Harry Chauvel, one of Australia’s most distinguished and decorated army generals.

Entrants from across Australia flocked to Hay Showgrounds. There they threw their hats in the ring to compete for buckles and impressive cash prizes.

Peter Hibberd. Over the next three weekends the Boort, Birchip and Charlton Clubs will run their feature meetings with the running of their pacing and trotting cups ... On a very competitive day of racing, drivers Damian Wilson and Alex Ashwood took the driving honours with each having a double.

You have to admire an agricultural show that has been around since before the telegraph was connected. Crookwell in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales held its first show in 1879 and 146 years later it is still a showcase for the state’s finest horses.

Croydon is one of the state’s classic old agricultural shows. It has had three homes, first in the old Croydon sports ground, then for a while at the Royal Melbourne Showground and lately at the Yarra Glen Pony Club ground. After hearing the forecast for extremely hot weather for the weekend, the Croydon committee discussed how to proceed with the show.

One of Queensland’s most loved events in the Scenic Rim Clydesdale Spectacular, the richest Clydesdale Show in the Southern Hemisphere will this year be held in Beaudesert, taking over the showground on the weekend of June 14 and 15. The announcement was celebrated today by three magnificent harness horses – Billy, Bobbi and Bluey!

After a year of collecting qualifications, the Victorian Agricultural Shows Saddle Horse Championships at Bendigo were a celebration of equestrian excellence.

A group of Light Horse enthusiasts will head off on a 700km trek next month to commemorate the birth and death of General Sir Harry Chauvel, one of Australia’s most distinguished and decorated army generals. A leg of the Chauvel Border Trail Ride will be from Cudgewa, over Keelangie and on to Tallangatta, recognising the journey men and horses from the Upper Murray took to serve in WWI.

Donald and District Pony Club has been an important and prominent grassroots sporting club for a number of years. In this time, many equine enthusiasts have started at this club, learning the basics before heading on to further challenges within the horse community.

In February, 4BP Horses, based at East Greenmount’s Lauralla Lodge, is aiming to set new world records. In 2022, Joe Hughes and his wife Miranda bought Lauralla Lodge, a 152 acre horse property on the New England Highway at East Greenmount where he now uses his unique 4BP horse training methods (4 Brumby Protection) to transform wild brumbies for a life working with people.

Charlotte Williamson, an 18 year old from Hodgson Vale, will compete for her country at the World Youth Endurance Championships in Romania later this year. An incredible three out of the seven young and junior riders selected for Australia at the International Federation event are from the Toowoomba area.

The loss of a parent is devastating. Losing both is unimaginable, but photographer and horse lover Sarah Wheeler is turning her grief into hope for others suffering from liver, pancreatic, stomach, bile duct and oesophageal cancers.

Wilson McShane. If Minlaton’s Ivan McMahon is asked to pin down exactly what he does in his spare time, he might have a hard job answering. Ranging from being a school bus driver, former shoe shop owner (70 years), husband to Carlene and proud dad of three — Travis (Polocrosse Association of SA secretary), Scott (former North Melbourne footballer) and Layton — McMahon is a jack of all trades.

Communities from across the Riverina region are being urged to get behind their local volunteer finalists for the 2024 NSW Volunteer of the Year Awards to be held in Sydney on Tuesday December 10. They include the Riverina Volunteer Team of the Year the Barellan Working Clydesdales Committee.

Honor Auchinleck. Artist Simon White’s mural ‘The Men and their Mounts’ in Corryong tells the story of the bush horses or brumbies and the stockmen who mustered and brought them down from the High Country and the bush-covered hills surrounding the Upper Murray before the First World War. The breeders of the Remounts and Walers often turned the young horses out into the bush to toughen them up and then brought them back in as four-year-olds for sale to buyers for the British Army in India.

Erika Quinn has celebrated success at Equitana Melbourne 2024, which was held on November 14-17. Erika took out fifth place in a field of 30 competitors from across the country in the prestigious barrel racing event held over two days.

The RM Equestrian Centre at Hodgson Vale conducted its first 2 Star One Day Event during the long weekend, attracting riders from a wide area ... Previously the venue has hosted only 1 Star Eventing. Organiser Jo Williams said the event drew 140 riders to Hodgson Vale.