Thanks to you all, we are off to a great start with the launch of The Australian Light Horse Society Ltd, a Not-for-Profit Charity, attracting a lot of interest and support from the Australian Light Horse community and followers. These are exciting times for us as we put together our new website, organise our events, competitions, overseas trips and social gatherings.

Each one of our steering committee have designated tasks to achieve over the next 12 months to move the society forward and offer the best support to our members, Light Horse troops and like-minded community groups.

If assistance is required with navigating and engaging with TALHS via our website (www.talhs.org) and Facebook page, please contact us at admin@talhs.org

TREASURERS’ COMMENTS

Please note that preference for payment to any of the TALHS bank accounts is by direct debit and not by credit card as credit card payments attract a bank fee and as a NFP Charity we are trying to avoid unnecessary expenses. We do however understand that payment by credit card sometimes cannot be avoided.

NATIONAL PROJECTS

Your Board is currently working on the following long-term national projects:

National East Coast Light Horse Trail

Establish a national Light Horse Trail along the east coast of Australia.

We have always been impressed with the light horse trail that the 10th Light Horse troop established in Western Australia and, also aware that a few years back the concept of a light horse trail around Boonah Queensland was bandied about.

It occurred to us that on the eastern side of this vast country we already have a National Trail starting in Victoria running all the way up the eastern states to the tip of Queensland.

These were the motivating factors to initiate a project to establish a light horse trail here along the east coast similar to that in WA.

What better way to keep that National Trail relevant by having it align with our desires with various sections of it dedicated as Australian Light Horse Trails.

We know already that parts of this trail border onto some members properties and are close to local communities.

Our vision is to have sections of this national trail establish, maintained and appropriately sign posted etc by local light horse troops/groups that are close to these parts of the national trail.

We have already commenced discussions with a retired Queensland public servant who was responsible for overseeing this states section of the trail and we will continue with those discussions seeking advice on how we can move forward with this national project.

National Light Horse Museum

Establish a National Light Horse Museum at Light Horse Park Seymour Victoria.

The area is close to the Australian Army Armoured Corp training facility at Puckapunyal.

In addition to a museum, this large area will be used to establish facilities to conduct national and state large scale light horse events and competitions.

Discussion has already commenced with the Architect who designed the QANTAS Museum in Longreach Qld.

This is a project of national importance and will take a few years but with support from our members and the wider community we are confident of a successful outcome.

Our local light horse troops have already established themselves at Lighthorse Park with work on the stock railway carriage, conducting their training days there and now working with the local Seymour Race Club getting involved with their race meetings.

UPCOMING TRIPS FOR 2025

The Society is heading off in 2025 on a 7 Day Gallipoli & Istanbul tour, the focus of this trip is the 110-year anniversary for the Battle of Lone Pine.

The Battle of Lone Pine was fought by Australian and New Zealand Army Corps against the Ottoman Empire forces during the Gallipoli Campaign of the First World War, between 6 and 10 August 1915.

v  7 Day Gallipoli & Istanbul $5780

Ø  All-inclusive tour, return flights, breakfast, dinner, accommodation, all transport and boat tours, Professional guides, Museum and attraction fees are included in the price $5780.00

There are only 10 spaces left on this trip so please let us know if you would like to go so we can secure your seat.

For more details please go to 2025 ALHS 7 Day Gallipoli & Istanbul tour, 110-year anniversary for the Battle of Lone Pine | Light Horse Society (talhs.org)

EVENTS IN 2025

We have a number of events that we organise and support throughout the year.

For full details, please take a look at our events page in The Australian Light Horse Society website UPCOMING EVENTS | Light Horse Society (talhs.org) and Events Calendar

The Light Horse Damascus, Kitchener Cup

Light Horse Park Skill at Arms, Tent-pegging Displays & Race Meeting, 2025.

The Australian Light Horse Society will be hosting this spectacular event over the weekend of the 14th – 16th Nov 2025, with fun for the whole family throughout the weekend.

Concept for the event.

Friday - 14/11/25

Starting with a street parade on the Friday evening starting at Kings Park and making its way to ANZAC parade, this will incorporate Light Horse Troops in sections, Vintage Military Vehicles and hopeful some local representation from RSL and other service clubs.    

Saturday 15/11/25

Commencing at the Seymour racecourse car park paddock, The Australian Light Horse Society will at approximately 0900 will conduct The Light horse Damascus, Kitchener Cup. This will be a Mounted Skill at arms Displays and competitions that will consist of Tent pegging, Hurdles, Dummy Thrust, Obstacle Race, Dismount for Action, Rescue Race and the Dispatch Race. Teams of Swords and Teams of Lances. Pairs of Swords and Pairs of Lances will also be included in the displays.

Consecutively and number of activities will be running at Light Horse Park, this includes a light horse encampment including horse Piquet lines and Military Pack saddle Troop. In addition to the Light Horse the Australian Livening History Association are invited to set up period displays of an Infantry encampment and 1900s Artillery Display.

A navigation ride is to be run during the Saturday around Light Horse Park utilising landmarks and features within the area. This will be an open competition to riding clubs, local pony clubs and individual teams, all will be welcome. Tug of war competitions will be held throughout the day and we will be inviting teams from Local sports clubs and Military units located at Puckapunyal, or anyone who wants to put a team together.

We have CAV and armoured support from Puckapunyal also an invitation has been made to 4/19 Prince of Wales Light horse to attend over the weekend.      

Sunday 16/11/25

Seymour Race Club, Race Meeting.  

Our intent is to have this run along the same themes as the Jericho Cup held in Warrnambool, around December each year.

Chauvel's Anniversary Light Horse Memorial Ride

When you hear the name Harry Chauvel you automatically think of the Light Horse, the slouch hat and the emu plume.

The 4th of March 2025 will be 80yrs of the death of the legendary leader of Australian Light Horsemen during WW1.

The 16th of April will be 130yrs from the birth of Harry Chauvel.

To commemorate the man, the legend, the Australian Light Horse, we are proposing a ride of over 750ks to remember the hard-earned victories and courageous efforts of the Men of the Australian Light Horse.

This 1st part of this journey will be over 3 weeks, starting in Shepperton in Victoria travelling to Harden in NSW, visiting all the Light Horse statues, silo art sights, schools and RSLs along the way.

The 2nd part of the journey will be to start in Young NSW travelling to Tallangatta in Victoria finishing on the 16th of April (Harry Chauvel Birthday) at the Sandy statue, the only Australian horse from WW1 to come home.

Again, the 2nd part will be 3 weeks.

The trek will be open to all Light Horse Troopers, but due to traffic and safety constraints will be limited to 8 riders in 2 sections at any one time.

If you are interested in riding as our legendry Light Horsemen did and to remember their legacy see Chauvel's Anniversary Light Horse Memorial Ride for more information or contact our Director, Pat Leary on:

0427215275 or admin@talhs.org

Light Horse Squadron Training Weekend

The 2nd Light Horse Plainland Troop in SE QLD is hosting a LH Squadron Training Weekend 28th / 29th of September at their grounds situated at Rons Road, Regency Downs, QLD.

See Light Horse Squadron Training Weekend on our website for more details.

INVITATION TO ALL LIGHT HORSE TROOPS AND COMMUNITY GROUPS.

An Invitation is extended to all Light Horse Troops and like-minded community groups to send into the TALHS Secretary at admin@talhs.org, your troop/group bio and troop/group photo with contact & peak body/insurer’s details.

With your permission, these bios and contact details, with a photo please, will be placed on a dedicated page of our website with a map of Australia and New Zealand to help any individual or interested groups find a local troop/group in their geographical area.

The purpose here is to have aregister all light horse troops and like-minded community groups regardless of peak-body and alliances, in one place, sorted by Local, State and National levels so that any individual or interested groups wanting to reach out for an event or join a troop or community group in their local area can do so using this page to find their local light horse troop/group.

TALHS State Ambassadors

Introducing our State Ambassadors:

We have been extremely fortunate to have the support of the following State Ambassadors. Their individual Bios can be found on our website.

v  Queensland:          LTCol Graeme Smith RFD Rtd.

v  Victoria                 Col John Pearce CSM

v  Tasmania              Terese Binns OAM

v  New South Wales Announcement to be made soon

v  South Australia and Western Australia are still under consideration.

TALHS Supporting Team Members

Introducing our new supporting team members and their roles:

v  Weapons Officer

George Coleman

Troop Sergeant commanding 4th/8th Light Horse Troop Victoria.

Click here to read his Bio

v  Risk Assessor.

Rob Werry

Rob is currently the Vice President of our Steering Committee and Troop Commander of the 5th Light Horse Regiment Maleny Troop Queensland.

Click here to read his Bio

v  Protocols Officer

Mick Whitehead

Mick is the President of the Great War Living History Maryborough Queensland Group and has just recently accepted the role of our protocols officer.

His contact details and bio will be added to the website shortly

THE AUSTRALIAN LIGHT HORSE SOCIETY LTD ACCREDITED LIGHT HORSE TROOPS/GROUPS

For your light horse troop or community group to attain accreditation as an Accredited Troop/Group and enjoy the benefits that TALHS will be able to offer your Troop/Group we ask that a majority, (greater than 66 percent), of your members are also individual members of TALHS.

This is a fair way to allow TALHS to be able to provide the funding support knowing that those Troops/Groups are also TALHS supporters.

Our By-Laws will reflect this accreditation requirement.

RISK ASSESSMENT FORM & LODGEMENT

This new digital style of risk assessment form (RA) has been constructed by our Secretary (Jo Moore) and is based upon the RA requirements of the Australasian Living History Federation (ALHF) as our insurer.

This will enable troop risk assessors and/or safety marshals to complete an RA quickly and easily for your events such as training days or parades.

To access the RA you must be a financial member of the TALHS.

Simply “login” into the TALHS website and tap on the “Members Area” scroll down to the “Risk Assessment form” located under Event Management.

Upon opening the RA form, you will be asked to complete certain details, this is an Ipad and computer friendly form. After entering your troop details then select your activity.

i.e.: Training Session - This will open other options that need to be selected, such as horse loading & unloading.

Next is the “Initial Risk Probability” and on the same line “Initial Risk Consequence”, select the appropriate level of risk before any Control Measures have been applied.

Following on from this section is the “Control Measures” area, where you can select what controls you are going to use to minimise any risks and once again the appropriate boxes for your event need to be ticked.

Then underneath is the “Adjusted Risk Probability” and “Consequence” area where you can enter an adjusted Probability/Consequence score based on the control measures that you have selected.

From there click the Next button, if your troop is conducting some other type of event such as a major parade or a competition then areas in Table B or C may be required to be completed.

If Table B or C are not required, then just click Next.

The final page will appear and simply complete the details and if your troop is conducting a major parade for example you may want to add an event map detailing safety zones etc, this can be easily done in the “Supporting Documents” area by uploading a file.

Once completed, click on the “Submit RA” button.

When RA Form has been submitted you will receive a notification stating that TALHS has received your form including all the details you have filled in for the event.

This form will then be assessed by the RA Reviewing Officer and once accepted an email will be sent stating that the RA form has been reviewed and accepted.

Alternatively, you may be required to supply additional information if requested. Although this form will make completing Risk Assessments more simplistic it is still the responsibility of the troops risk assessor or safety marshal to ensure that the risk management plan is implemented. Just completing this form does not absolve organisers of responsibility.

For any additional information or assistance with this RA form please contact admin@talhs.org

Rodney L Pinder

Rodney L Pinder National President The Australian Light Horse Society +61 407349928 info@ironbarktrading.com.au

https://www.talhs.org/