Staff and management of Killarney Station are devastated by the shocking event

© Alexas Fotos

By Equestrian Life

On Sunday 20^th September, two members of a sporting shooters’ association shot 30 horses said to be worth a total of $500,000 at Killarney Station, Victoria Rivers, Northern Territory.

The pair did not have a permit or permission to enter the station or shoot on the land; their actions, now the subject of a police investigation, have devastated the management and staff of the 541,100 hectare station. The horses were some of the station and staffs’ most loved and valued horses. Killarney Station is owned by Jumbuck Pastoral, one of Australia’s largest sheep and cattle producers.

On Friday 25^th September, Jumbuck Director Callum MacLachlan released the following statement regarding the tragedy on the Jumbuck website:

“This week we have endured something that no station or horse person should ever have to. 30 of our most prized and cherished horses belonging to both the station and our crew, were erroneously and callously shot and killed.

This tragedy took place within 5 kilometres of the Killarney Station Homestead, a place our management team and crew call home.

Some of these horses were quite simply and truly irreplaceable. ‘Riot’, belonging to one of our staff, was kindly lent to one of my daughters to ride on station in the school holidays. Part professional rope horse, he was also a gentleman schoolmaster for a 9-year-old girl that week. That is just one that I knew personally. The kind of horse you can’t buy, and people never sell. Absolutely devastating.

While horses are a critical part of getting our job done and are our treasured companions and mates, our people at Jumbuck are our family. Help has been provided to everyone affected at Killarney. As every station and horse person knows; the value of a good horse is more than just money. All of us at Jumbuck and Killarney have greatly appreciated the outpouring of support during this time. As we come to terms with our grief, we are humbled how the community have rallied around us. It is appreciated by myself and all of us at Jumbuck.”

Our thoughts are with the Killarney station staff and management at this difficult time.

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