Plenty of stories were shared, laughs were had and even some tears were shed at the 50th anniversary reunion of the Garah-Boomi Pony Club on Saturday.
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About 140 past and current members of the club came together for the special long lunch celebration, held at the club grounds on the Williams family’s property, ‘Cwmteg’ Garah, on Saturday, July 28.
“It was an excellent pearler,” 50 year reunion head coordinator Sandy Downes said.
“It was just fabulous; the weather was magnificent, the food was also magnificent. I have not heard a bad word about it.”
The food was catered by camp chef Kate Williams, while current president Ben Hiscox cooked the lamb on a spit and some of the current older members of the club did the waitressing for the long lunch.
The cake was cut by the two original founding members of the club who attended the day, Graham ‘Sticky’ Pitman and Daphne Murray.
Leonie Scarlet put together an impressive display of old photos around the marquee, which Ms Downes said was a real focal point.
“Because we were out in the middle of nowhere we couldn’t have a powerpoint slideshow, so Leonie got all the photos and put them on boards around the marquee like a gallery,” she said.
“So many people wandered around looking at the photos and trying to find themselves.”
Another talking point was the trophy display.
A highlight of the day was the ‘musical ride’, or troop drills, which the Garah-Boomi Pony Club is well known for doing at the end of every pony camp.
“We’ve been doing it for a long time,” Ms Downes said.
“One of our past members, Guy Pitman, was a mounted policeman and he used to instruct the children in the troop drills. He led it on Saturday.”
Member for Northern Tablelands Adam Marshall was one of the special guests on the day, along with Moree mayor Katrina Humphries who was an original member of the club, attending the very first pony camp in 1968, aged eight.
Cr Humphries said the 50th anniversary event was a “beautiful, happy day”.
“It was absolutely wonderful,” she said.
“It was also quite an emotional day. Fifty years is a long time.
“There were lots of stories told. I always thought what happens at camp stayed at camp, but all the stories came out on Saturday!”
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Cr Humphries said she has great respect for the Williams family, who opened up their property and allowed people to come onto it for the past 50 years.
“It’s one of the best pony camps, it’s so safe and it’s a great big spacious area,” she said.
“I loved pony club and the pony club family. It’s a wonderful way for kids to grow up, being responsible for animals.
“You didn’t have to have a horse to go. If you didn’t have a horse and wanted to go, they’d find you one. The generosity has always been amazing. It’s the ultimate community club. The traditional saying is it takes a village to raise a child, but we know it takes a pony club to raise one. There are many children who are all the better for being a member of the Garah-Boomi Pony Club.”
Ms Downes would like to thank all the sponsors who supported the event, including Regional Australia Bank, Adam Marshall MP, Moree Plains Shire Council, Woolworths Moree, Moree BMX Club, Coles Moree, B and W Rural and Moree Services Club.
