New club prepares to saddle up

By Lachlan Ellis

Adult horse riders in Bacchus Marsh & District will no longer have to travel out of town to take part in club activities, with the launch of a new club well underway.

The Parwan Adult Riding Club (PARC) plans to base itself at the Bacchus Marsh Racecourse and Recreation Reserve, with lease negotiations with Council finalised earlier this month.

PARC President Dionne Smith said it was an exciting time for local riders, with the new club to fill a void for adult riders in Bacchus Marsh & District.

“There’s never been an adult riding club in Bacchus Marsh, so after a bit of discussion between friends – which is how it all started post-COVID, wanting to reconnect with locals and ride horses – we realised there was a large void in the community that we thought we could help fill, and help people get together,” Ms Smith told the Moorabool News.

“We’re an affiliated club with the Horse Riding Club Association of Victoria (HRCAV), we have a uniform, we have some members, all we’re waiting on is a user group agreement from Moorabool Shire Council.”

Ms Smith said PARC had a range of events in mind once the initial establishment of the group is sorted.

“Once we’re up and running we’ll be holding some clinics to begin with, to sort of get people in and see what we’re all about, and hopefully rally as many members as possible. Then we’ll be looking to kick off with a combined training day to begin with, some dressage days or pure show jumping days,” she said.

Ms Smith expressed her gratitude to PARC’s sponsors, Ray White Bacchus Marsh and the Bacchus Marsh Community Bank Branch, for their support as the Club establishes itself.

“Ray White Bacchus Marsh have already been a huge support for the Club getting up and running, they’ve sponsored us quite generously. So has the Community Bank in Bacchus Marsh, they’ve been a huge support for the Club already,” she said.

“They’ve been fantastic, their support is very much appreciated by the Club.”

To express your interest in joining PARC, send an email to [email protected].