MORE than 30 horse-drawn carriages will weave their way through Manilla and Somerton over the next week to support a charity that helps kids in the bush.
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The Liverpool Range Harness Club’s Charity Harness Drive kicks off this Friday and runs until Sunday, September 24, raising money for Royal Far West’s Quirindi branch.
The event started as a chance for members of LRHC to give back to The Royal Far West, which had helped many members’ friends and family over the years.
It’s the eighth consecutive year LRHC has held the drive in support of Royal Far West.
To date, LRHC has donated more $80,000 towards the charity.
We wanted to do a drive and we thought we may as well do it for a cause.
- LRHC president Peter Honeyman
“We wanted to do a drive and we thought we may as well do it for a cause,” LRHC president Peter Honeyman said of the ride’s origin.
“It’s the oldest charity in NSW and they do a lot with country kids.”
The club has been involved with Royal Far West because all of the money raised goes back to children within the Quirindi, Liverpool Range and Tamworth areas.
Mr Honeyman said about 35 entries, involving some 60 people from across the state, had been lodged for the charity ride already.
The ride kicks off with camping at Manilla Showground from this Friday until Tuesday, before moving camp onto Trelawney Station at Somerton to finish on Sunday, September 24.
Trelawney Station is owned by the Tamworth Local Aboriginal Land Council, who has donated use of its facilities and access to the station.
Clover leaf trips stretching between 25km and 40km each day are travelled as a group, culminating in almost 250km over the week.
A percentage of the entry fees goes directly to the charity, along with money raised from raffles and donations from sponsors.
The event allows pleasure harness driving enthusiasts, both local and interstate, to travel down new roads and experience some of the countryside of this area.
Mr Honeyman said LRHC members had been running raffles and other fundraisers throughout the year to help the cause, alongside support from various bowling and RSL clubs across the region.
Many of the sulkies are heritage vehicles lovingly restored, and pulled along by an assortment of horses, so be sure to keep an eye out over the next week.