HORSE RIDING IN THE MEGALONG VALLEY

On New Year's Day I attended the rodeo at Tumbarumba. Two of my uncles were there, both probably in their sixties, and not only riding horses but working as catchers in the rodeo ring. I had moved from Tumbarumba to Sydney when I was about seven years old. If I had stayed and been raised in the bush this is possibly where I would have ended up also. My grandfather, on my mother's side, had told me stories of when he was a teenager and how they had often taken pack horses and gone off into the mountains for several days. My grandmother, on my father's side was still driving her sulky into town well into her seventies. I can recall being put on a horse, a big clydesdale, when I was only a toddler; and then about fifteen years ago when I took students on a camp for several days we went for a trail ride on horses. This time the horse was in control and knew where to go, and made sure I knew that too. So I thought it was about time I 'had a go' at horse riding.

(The different terrain in the Megalong Valley)

I chose a place, via the internet, in the Megalong Valley. The Megalong Valley gets its name from an Aboriginal word believed to mean 'valley under the rock'. The first recorded European here was Thomas Jones in 1818. He was collecting bug and plant specimens and followed the Cox's River into the valley. Land was taken up here in 1838 by settlers traveling up from Camden. A shale mine was also opened here and operated by J. B. North. Today the valley is predominantly used for farming, however with its beautiful scenery, including rainforrests and rugged escarpments, it has become a popular tourist destination. The restoration of the historic Six Foot Track, which passes through the valley, has helped this popularity. The Six Foot Track was a bridle trail winding from Katoomba to Jenolan Caves. It had to be at least six foot wide to cater for two or three horses a breast, hence its name.

(Above: the early morning mist still leaving the valley; Below: horses are being saddled up ready for the day's riding)

I drove up to Blackheath the afternoon before and spent the afternoon taking photographs of the Valley. I had thought to book a day ride, but on the advice of the lady who ran the Werriberri Trail Rides I changed this to a three hour ride. On Sunday morning, after taking pictures of the mist coming up through the valley, I turned up at at the horse yards. This is a business run by Kathy Tucker and her four children on the Megalong Road. Already teenage girls were brushing the horses and getting them ready for the trail. As I had been asked on the phone how tall and how heavy I was I knew that the big horse was mine. They told me his name was 'Clydy', but I knew this was a name they made up for my benefit and he was really called "death by lightning' or 'stampede of thunder'.

(Above: my horse Clydy, alias nightmare; Below: me, ready for him)

I was decked out in a helmet and spats. Then as other people began to arrive a work experience fellow from Iceland helped me into the saddle, well I walked up the ramp and climbed on, he just held the horse still. We sat and waited while more people arrived, so far so good, but I wasn't sure Clydy hadn't fallen asleep. (I wondered whether they even had horses in Iceland, but he assured me that he was very experienced.)

(Photos above show us heading off on the track)

Finally we were all mounted up and heading off on the trail. A teenage girl led us at the front, and then we were arranged in order of 'inexperience'. In front of me was a seven year old girl and a woman who hadn't ridden before. I wasn't sure who the people behind me were as I couldn't turn around to see them. I knew there was the girl's father because he kept telling us how he had ridden all his life and mustered cattle in rough scrub. There was the fellow from Iceland, on his third day on the job; a woman who had ridden regularly up until a couple of years ago; and I was to find out later a young lady from Finland, who was a very experienced rider.

(Above: our instructor from Iceland; the expert, who spent most of the ride texting; and the girl from Finland who enjoyed 'sending the flint stones flying')

The 3 hour ride took us through some beautiful country. It also took us up and down just enough trails and mountain tracks to make it exciting. At one point we had to wait while a red-bellied black snake slide off the path. It did tend to worry the horses a little. We also managed to trot in a few places. Once I got used to this it was actually very good. The more experienced riders, that is everyone behind me, were able to hang back for a while and then canter up to join us.

(Views of the track and scenery where we were riding)

Although my horse obviously knew where it was going there were times where I would steer it this way or that, and when it tried to show me it was time to put its head down I was able to assert myself a little, probably just enough to convince myself I had some control. Still at times I could have both of my hands free to take photographs, so I wonder who was really in control. All in all it was an enjoyable experience and one I would try again. Sore. That's what they kept saying I would be the next day. No, not a bit. Towards the end of the ride my back began to rub a little against the saddle but the next day no aches or pains at all.....so maybe I was a natural, or maybe I was just doing it wrong.

(Back at the OK corral....or at least back at the corral OK)

(Me, looking like a nineteen century postman)

(The seven year old girl, who was only put in the group to show me up)

(Footnote: to contact the Werriberri Trail Rides ring (02) 4787 9171 and ask for Kathy)

TUMBARUMBA RODEO

The clowns are an important part of the rodeo. Here they rescue a youngster from a calf.

If you have never been to a rodeo then you are missing out on an exciting event which captures the spirit of the bush and the Australian legend. Rodeos are held all over Australia, including at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney, but nothing beats experiencing the flavour of the country by seeing a rodeo in an Australian country town. On New Year’s Day I travelled to Tumbarumba, at the foot of the Snowy Mountains, to watch the 66th annual Tumbarumba Rodeo. It was well worth the trip.

The junior steer riding event.

Rope and tie event.

There were competitions featuring animals very early in history. Early pottery show the leaping of the bull in ancient Crete, the Roman gladiatorial events featured combats against animals and chariot races, and the Spanish bull fighting and running of the bulls. However the rodeo seems to have its origins with the Spanish and Mexican cattle herders. The name itself is taken from the Spanish word “rodeo” meaning ‘round up’, as in rounding up or penning cattle. The term came to refer also to the skills shown by the Spanish cowboys in working with these cattle. The term was first used in English in 1834 and referred to a cattle round up. Today the term is mostly used to refer to the sport which has arisen around these skills.

Bare-back bronco riding.

The catcher is an experienced rider who helps the competitor safely from the bucking animal.

Although such events did take place in Australia it wasn’t until the 1880s that events were organized and run regularly. The National Agricultural Society of Victoria ran one of the earliest such events in 1888 when they made rough ridding part of their annual Agricultural Show. Bushman’s Carnivals began in Northern New South Wales in the 1920s and grew to follow a similar format to the American rodeos. During World War 11 American soldiers held informal rodeo events such as those held in Ispwich, Queensland. By 1944 the Bushmen’s Carnivals were becoming so popular that the Australian Bushman’s Carnival Association was formed to try to regulate and organize these carnivals. Although the Association folded in 1947, a North Bushmen’s Carnival Association started in 1946 in Maitland, NSW continued and flourished. Also in 1944 the Australian Professional Rodeo Association was formed as the organizing body for rodeo competitions. These two associations are now the Australian Bushmen’s campdraft and Rodeo Association. In 1992 the National Rodeo Council of Australia was formed to help promote and organize the sport.

Steer wrestling or bulldogging.

Bull riding is a tough sport.

Events at a rodeo may include campdrafting, saddle bronc riding, bareback riding, steer and bull riding, barrel races, rope and tie, steer wrestling, team roping, and breakaway roping, as well as junior calf riding. While women used to participate fully in rodeos when Bonnie McCarrol died in the Pendleton Round-Up in 1929 and Marie Gibson in a horse wreck in 1933, limits were placed on the events they could enter. Today barrel racing, breakaway roping and the team roping are the most popular events for women's participation.

Barrel racing.

Breakaway roping.

Mention must be made of Tumbarumba. During the droughts of five years ago I happened to travel around the state and into Victoria, the greenest and most picturesque place during that time was Tumbarumba. It is nestled in the foothills of the Snowy Mountains about 500 kms south west of Sydney. Hume and Hovell passed through here in 1824 and those that are keen enough can retrace the steps of the explorers on the Hume and Hovell walking track. It has a history of gold, timber, agriculture and involvement in the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Now it is also becoming known for its ‘cool climate’ wines. Its old buildings, fresh water streams and mountain air are certainly making it a popular tourist attraction.

Bare-back riding.

Roping.

Bronco riding.

HAROLD PARK

When I was 9 or 10 my grandfather, or sometimes my uncle, would occasionally take me to a race meeting at Harold Park in Sydney. It is a vivid part of my childhood memories. It was an exciting and different place to play, and it was fun trying to “guess” which number would win the next race. On the 17th of December this year I again attended a race meeting at Harold Park, again trying to “guess” which number would win the next race. However this was to be the last ever meeting to be held at Harold Park as the site had a few weeks earlier been sold to developers. Sports writer Michael Hutak described the night as “one of the saddest in Sydney’s cultural history”. It is the end of an era.


On the 4th June 1902 a group of 33 harness racing enthusiasts met in J. McGrath’s saddle and harness making shop. Donations totaling nearly twenty pounds were taken and on October 10th the New South Wales Harness Racing Club was officially incorporated. On the 19th November the club held its first race meeting at the Harold Park site, then called Forrest Lodge, a track leased from the Metropolitan Rugby Union. This first event was made up of five races with total prize money of 99 sovereigns. Two more races were held before the venue was switched to a course belonging to Kensington Pony Club. In June 1904 race meetings were again switched back to Forrest Lodge, which had had a name change and was now known as Epping.


In 1911 the track was purchased from the Metropolitan Rugby Union. In 1929, because of confusion with having the same name as a Sydney suburb, the track was renamed Harold Park. This name was inspired by world famous race horse, Childe Harold. The stallion had been bred in Kentucky and had won races all over the world, including in Russia, before being imported into Australia from Glasgow, Scotland, in 1882.


In October 1941 the NSW State Parliament passed legislation which made night racing possible. This gave harness racing, and Harold Park, a tremendous boost. Friday night racing became a very popular pastime and in 1974 visiting international drivers described Harold Park as “the best lit trotting track in the world”.


Several Inter-Dominion races have been held at Harold Park. In 1960 a world record crowd of 50,346 gathered at Harold Park to see the final of the Inter-Dominion. The two favourites were Australia’s Apmat and New Zealand’s Caduceus. The crowd was so large that spectators pulled down ply walls on the side of the grandstand to get a view of the race. The race was won by the New Zealander but was only declared after a protest by the Australians was dismissed. Other famous winners of this event have been Hondo Grattan (1973), Koala King (1980) and Our Maestro (1988).


However the best-known event at Harold Park was probably the Miracle Mile. This race was instituted in 1967. It has attracted some of the most famous trotters in the world, among these Paleface Adios, Hondo Grattan, Caduceus and Smooth Satin. Paleface Adios contested this race every year from 1974 to 1980. The last time this event was run at Harold Park was in November 2008; after that the event was moved to the new racecourse at Menangle.


In October 2008 the members of the NSW Harness Racing Club voted to sell the Harold Park site for a minimum of $150 million. The Board of Directors eventually accepted an offer from property developers Mirvac, believed to be close to $200 million. The ten hectacre site will be redeveloped into a residential area; there will be 1200 new dwellings in buildings up to eight storeys high, the historic tram sheds will be converted to retail and commercial concerns and thirty five percent of the area will be turned into public recreational area. Trotting will relocate permanently to its new home at Menangle, near Campbelltown. The sale and proposed redevelopment have divided the local community and the trotting community. Trotting officials see the input of cash as a means to revitalize trotting in NSW.


The last meeting at Harold Park saw eighteen thousand fans turn-out. The historic last race of the night was won by Karlow Mick. The winning posts were sold as souvenirs and were purchased by Ray Hadley for $10,000, proceeds going to Lifeline. Other spectators invaded the track after the last race souveniring items from the site, including one group who walked out with a large section of the running rail. Such was the scramble for a piece of history that during the next morning officials had to close the place and post security guards as souvenir hunters turned up in utes. The final word again goes to Michael Hutak , “we haven’t just shut down a venue , we have buried the trots in Sydney forever”.