Hit the Trail | ||
This article first appeared in a previous edition of Equestrian Life magazine. To see what is in our latest digtial issue, please click here. Alienor le Gouvello on the Bicentennial Trail with River, Cooper and Roxanne. © Gitta Steffes
Hit the TrailAustralia is blessed with a diverse and expansive environment for horse-riding. From the mountains to the deserts, beaches and the bush, the country looks even better from between the ears of our equine best friend. Spanning much of the continent, from as far north as Cooktown, Queensland, and tracing south along the rugged peaks of the Great Dividing Range to Healesville, Victoria, the Bicentennial National Trail is a ride that conquers all others, and is the perfect place to begin our trail-riding journey. Its staggering 5330km length is not to be taken lightly, with only a handful of hardy riders having completed the trail.
A bit of history The Bicentennial National Trail was the result of a vision, championed by the Australian Trail Horse Riders Association (ATHRA), and spearheaded by the great RM Williams. A plan to join old carriageways, roads and brumby tracks to create a legal route for stockmen that spanned the country resulted in the trail in its current form. With support from the ATHRA, Williams, and the generous cooperation of landowners, farmers and government agencies, Dan Seymour was commissioned to find a route along the Great Dividing Range for today’s BNT, a feat he completed in 21 months in September 1973, with three horses and a cattle dog.
READ THE LATEST NEWS ARTICLES HERE
|
||
© copyright. Equestrian Life. Saturday, 27 April 2024 https://www.equestrianlife.com.au/articles/Hit-the-Trail |
||