March 4, 2014
Yarraman doesn’t have an annual show but that doesn’t mean the Yarraman Agricultural Society isn’t kept busy … organising campdrafts and the annual Yarraman Horse Ride.
About 19 years ago, Yarraman resident Bill McAlister and two friends Greg Knowles and Barney Kirkland took a look at the iconic Kilkivan Great Horse Ride and thought “we can do that, too!”.
And so began the annual Yarraman Horse Ride, which traverses 25km across private property and forestry areas near Yarraman.
The 18th annual ride (they were forced to skip one year) was held on Saturday.
The riders aren’t competing for a prize; they’re doing it purely for the enjoyment of social riding.
The largest number of riders taking part has been 101; and the smallest, 34.
This year 39 riders took part, a number which was a little disappointing to recently elected Yarraman Agricultural Society secretary Delinah Rackley but one which she attributes to the dry weather and the fact that “money’s tight”.
The riders left from the Yarraman Showgrounds at 8:00am and returned about 3:30pm.
They could then relax and enjoy an evening of entertainment, hot meals and a licensed bar. Nanango singer Natalie Fenton kept the music going late into the night.
Bill, who is a Life Member of the Yarraman Agricultural Society, said many of the riders come back year after year and camped overnight at the showgrounds.
This year there were riders from Maryborough, Gympie, Toowoomba and Dayboro.
NB. The other main event organised by the Agricultural Society, the Yarraman Campdraft, is usually held in either January or November; Delinah said she was hopeful it would go ahead in November this year but that would depend on the weather.
