30th anniversary 2012

Some local horses and riders of the 1970s and '80s (Part 1)

A brief history of endurance riding in the district

By the time the first National Capital Endurance Ride was held, on 14 November 1982, endurance riding had already been established in the district for more than 10 years. There were several keen endurance riders and others living in Canberra and the surrounding district wanting to try the sport and a decision was made to start a local ride and establish the ACT Endurance Riders Association to run it.

The first endurance ride in the district was held on 5 March 1971. It was organised by the Tumut Rodeo Club and covered a 75 mile (120 km) course from Huntly Station on the outskirts of Canberra, to Tumut via Brindabella and Bondo. Of the 20– starters (accounts differ about the actual number – perhaps some were vetted out or withdrew pre-ride), only six made it to Tumut and one of those did not pass the final vet check. The winner was Neville Clarke of Adaminaby, who received a silver cup and a $300 cash prize. Neville, riding a small 15-year-old gelding named Brownie, completed the course in 6 hours 47 minutes. Ross Webb of Tumut, riding Stoney, was second in 6 hours 59¾ minutes. Ross and Stoney went on to win the Quilty that year and Stoney, ridden by Ross’s son Warren, won again in 1972. The only rider from the Canberra district to complete the Canberra to Tumut ride was Mick Gavan, riding a mare named Julie, who placed 4th with a riding time of 8 hours 44 minutes. (The Tumut endurance riders re-ran this ride over a slightly different course in February 1991 and several Canberra riders completed it successfully on that occasion).

The Tumut endurance ride became an annual event and was named the Ross Webb Memorial Endurance Ride in 1973 following Ross’s death in a campdrafting accident in April 1972. Other rides soon followed, including Taralga and Tumbarumba in 1972, Adaminaby in 1973 (the Kevin Miners Memorial Endurance Ride) and a few years later, the Snowy River ride at Jindabyne. By the early 1980s there was a ride in the Snowy Mountains every few weeks through the warmer months, beginning with the Canberra ride in November, followed by Adaminaby in early December, Jindabyne in early January, Tumut in February, Batlow in March and Tumbarumba in April. North of Canberra, there was the Taralga ride in late January and several others within driving distance, including Kangaroo Valley, East Kurrajong, St Albans and Sofala. The Tom Quilty Gold Cup, held in the Hawkesbury district near Sydney from its inception in 1966 until 1985, was accessible to local riders, as was the Shahzada 400 km Endurance Test at St Albans, which began in 1981.

The commencement of the Brookvale ride was largely due to the efforts of Searle Johnston and Janet Rose. They got together a group of interested local people that led to the establishment of the ACT Endurance Riders Association, of which they were the first president and secretary respectively, and the running of the first National Capital Ride at Brookvale in 1982. Searle and Janet also provided most of the funds for the first ride. Bendora was the centre of endurance riding in the ACT for many years, being used as the venue for ACTERA meetings, training of TPR stewards and at least one seminar for new endurance riders. Several local endurance riders started by working at Bendora and helping Searle with strapping and training of his horses and in the process, picking up invaluable advice.

This is not a history of endurance riding in the local area. Its purpose is simply to commemorate the local endurance horses and riders from the 1970s and 1980s by mentioning a few individuals and in doing so, convey something of the atmosphere of the early rides. Part 1 is about people who started endurance riding before 1982.

LOCAL HORSE & RIDER STORIES

Lorraine Danson and Stranger

One of the first endurance horses in Canberra was Stranger, owned by the Danson family. Lorraine Danson rode Stranger in the 1971 Canberra to Tumut ride, in which she was the youngest entrant, but unfortunately neither she nor her father Jack was successful. Lorraine and Jack both competed successfully in the open and heavyweight divisions respectively during the later 1970s. Jack helped to organise and run the first few National Capital endurance rides but none of the family appears to have ridden in them.

By Melanie O'Flynn

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