Community & Business
2 May, 2021
Heavy horses for Allora
After gaining approval from Allora Show Society, the Darling Downs Heavy Horse Festival is set to debut on the weekend of 12-13 March, 2022 at the Allora Showgrounds.
The event will be organised by Clare Gorwyn and her partner Peter Lowry of Glengallan Heavy Horse Stud, and Clint Kenny of Rivoli Farm Percherons.
This group has run the Heavy Horse & Harness Spectacular at the Warwick show for the past ten years and are hoping to expand on their previous success in Allora.
In Warwick, they boasted the largest heavy horse section of an Agricultural show in Queensland.
For Allora residents, the festival will be a drawcard to introduce more tourists to the town.
The organisers received an enthusiastic response to their proposal from the Allora Show Society at its last meeting.
Clare Gorwyn said she and her fellow organisers are hopeful that the move to Allora will improve upon the success of the show. She believes that the move will provide better facilities for their needs and bring more attendees from Toowoomba and beyond. “What we have achieved so far is something we’re very proud of".
The move to Allora also gives them an opportunity to run a standalone event. Over the two days a range of heavy horse related events will be held including working events, carriage driving and riding. A variety of draught breeds will be competing including Clydesdales, Shires and Percherons.
Ms. Gorwyn hopes that the festival will be able to expose younger generations to the impact that horses have had on the history of the region.
She said the festival will allow “our heritage to be passed on in the time-honoured tradition of story-telling as those who remember the working horse recall memories from days long gone).”
Ms. Gorwyn aims to improve the appreciation that people have for heavy horses by highlighting the variety of important roles in the Darling Downs region horses have had, from working the land to transporting goods.
“It serves to remind us how fortunate and privileged we are to own and breed these wonderful horses and it is why we love to share them with others,” Ms. Gorwyn said.
When the Darling Downs Heavy Horse Festival begins in Allora in March, it will be the first major heavy horse show in the region on the calendar for 2022.
It will join the Gatton Heavy Horse Field Days in May and the June Scenic Rim Clydesdale Spectacular in Boonah.
The Heavy Horse Festival will be included into the calendar of events at the Allora Show Grounds, which includes the Annual Allora Show, Allora & District Annual Campdraft and Allora Heritage Weekend.
