Horses for courses – Australia Day honours 2021

EVER since it started, participants in Ballarat’s Riding for the Disabled program have been able to count on one thing, using horses provided by Marie and Bill Rinaldi.

The husband and wife team behind Warrenheip based Rinaldi W & M riding school have been donating the use of their horses to RDA Ballarat, free of charge, since 1977.

That generous and altruistic gift that’s so integral to the Riding for the Disabled program, along with the Rinaldi’s ongoing support for the equine sector in the region, is why they have both been awarded Medals in the Order of Australia.

“I was just shocked and amazed, and when it cooled down I thought this is a bit of an honour,” Marie said.

“Bill and I have been married 50 years this October. Bill’s really the mainstay of Riding for the Disabled, but we do everything together with the horses, so I supposed that’s why they put me down too!”

Every time Riding for the Disabled Ballarat holds events, Bill loads up his transport and takes the horses to where they need to be.

At the start it was all over the district including Bray Raceway, Ballarat Showgrounds and Mitchell Park. Now, more often than not it’s to the RDA’s dedicated Mount Rowan facility.

All that means a huge commitment of time and resources for the Rinaldi’s, but their motivation is simple.

“I just like seeing kids happy,” Bill said. “A lot of kids aren’t happy today. So this is an outlet for them.

“The ones that go to Riding for the Disabled, they love it.”

Bill’s father started the riding school in 1960, from there he and Marie have taken over and grown with the business as times have changed.

At the heart of everything they do is a love of the animals and they pass that onto those who become involved with the school.

The school has been a starting point for many people’s journey with horses and a number of former students have gone onto roles within the equestrian or thoroughbred racing sector.

“It just happens,” Marie said. “If the love’s there and they can get the jobs doing it, they’ll do well.”