30th anniversary 2012: How things have changed 1982–2012

The buckle

The buckle design has changed several times over the 30 years. The original buckle was an oblong in a silvery-coloured metal featuring a horse and rider in bushland. A plaque was offered as an alternative in 1985 and 1986. A new buckle with a gold or bronze rider against a contrasting background was introduced in 1987 and used for several years. Then a round buckle with a horse's head was used briefly in the early 1990s before being replaced in 1995 by a new design featuring a horse and rider against the Parliament House flagpole. That design continues to be used, but there have been several changes to the background colour and from 2011, some changes to the size, shape and overall appearance of the buckle. The flagpole design resulted from a competition in 1994 won by Tony Evans. Tony was not with ACTERA for very long but left a lasting legacy, as he not only designed the buckle but oversaw the building of the toilets.

Original 1982 buckle

1985 plaque and later buckles

2011 buckle

By Melanie O'Flynn

Acknowledgements | Ride base | The course | The ride date | Riding times, entries and completion rates | The vets | The horses | Equipment | The buckle | Riding rules | Training and social rides | Costs and charges | Technology and communication | Some things have not changed | Photo gallery of past 30 years

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