MEDIA RELEASE
16 September 2024
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of the Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse Association.
Join us on 12th October to celebrate these magnificent horses and 20 years of successful wild horse homing at the Ebor Sportsground.
You will enjoy horsemanship demonstrations, education and a little healthy competition to highlight the qualities and nature of the Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse.
This is a family friendly event with great food and local market stalls.
The day will finish on a high with a special evening performance by acclaimed singer songwriter, James Blundell with support act Tate Cole.
Proceeds from this event will be used to support the Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse Association to preserve this unique breed.
Gates open at 8AM and tickets are available online or on the day.
Where/What/How:
Date: Saturday, 12th October 2024 (camping available Friday 11th and Saturday 12th)
Location: Ebor Sportsgrounds – New England Tablelands, between Armidale and Coffs Harbour
Time: Gates open 8am, activities starting 9am – bring your camp chair or picnic blanket!
Tickets: $25 Adult / $10 Children 6-11 years / Children 5 years and under free
Camping: $10 per adult per night, children FOC (camping available Friday 11th and Saturday 12th) – bookings essential.
***This event is BYO – no glass please***
To purchase tickets go to . events.humanitix.com/gfhha-open-day
For more information go to: www.guyfawkesheritagehorse.com
Email: guyfawkesheritagehorse@hotmail.com
Current Status of Trapping Program:
No horses have been trapped since the 2019 bushfires. However, the NSW Government has recently advised that recommencement of horse trapping in the Guy Fawkes River National Park is imminent. In recent correspondence to the Association, Trish Doyle MP, NSW Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment, says National Parks and Wildlife Service representatives will soon recommence meetings about the program.
About Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse Association:
The Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse Association was formed by the community after the shocking aerial cull of 600 horses in the Guy Fawkes River National Park in 2000. A study was commissioned into the heritage value of the horses in the park with a commitment to manage them humanely if genuine heritage significance was proven.
The study found that that these horses have significant historical, military and cultural value. They are direct descendants of Australia’s wartime cavalry horses, known as Walers, and are the only group of Australian Wild Horse to have this proven heritage value. The Association has pioneered a system of trapping and selling horses to the public, to ensure these horses have a future and that culling never happens again.
For the last 20 years the Association, along with NSW National Parks & Wildlife Service, has successfully found homes for hundreds of horses removed from the park. Each horse is recorded, and a meticulous studbook maintained. These horses are incredibly intelligent, trainable, versatile, sturdy, sure footed, and loyal, and have proven themselves to be suitable to any discipline. They have gained a reputation as a naturally quiet, brave and level-headed breed.
The Association currently has over 500 people on the waitlist to buy a Guy Fawkes Heritage Horse.
All general media enquiries to guyfawkesheritagehorse@hotmail.com
We highly recommend you read the exceptional book BRUMBY WARS by Anthony Sharwood, for a comprehensive picture of the embittered parties battling to preserve either our precious native ecology or the iconic brumby. Only GFHHA understands the nuances and has created a workable model which appeases both sides in this heated debate.
NBN 2018 Click on this link to watch the News article on the 2018 Open Day aired Sunday 28/1/2018
Sunrise Click on this link to watch the Ch 7 Sunrise program aired on Sunday 5/2/17
Australia’s cowboys quit helicopters for horses
High demand for Guy Fawkes brumbies
