Success with horse and heart

By Tina Seirlis

A local Korweinguboora woman who set out to raise $20,000 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation in memory of her mother, has instead achieved 150 per cent more, with $31,422 resulting from the ‘Ride for Kez – Abbey’s Big Adventure 2.0’.

Abigail Wehrung’s mother Kerryn sadly lost her battle with breast cancer in 2020, and was known for her great character strength, and for her love of horses.

“I’m blown away by the amount we raised,” Ms Wehrung said.

“It is a really special feeling knowing we are helping in the fight against breast cancer. We met a lot of people along our journey that have been affected or know someone affected. It is close to home for so many people, and to make an impact in the lives of others is something I feel incredibly proud of.”

Ahead of riding out on the Big Adventure 2.0, a fundraiser was also held on 3 September at the picturesque Korweinguboora Recreation Reserve which was well attended and raised hundreds of dollars towards the cause. Ms Wehrung expressed gratitude towards the Committee of Management for their support and said it was beautiful to see so many locals out in force.

The Big Adventure 2.0 involved a 260km horse ride over 11 days from Korweinguboora through to Ms Wehrung’s grandmother’s property at the base of the Grampians. Horses were rotated throughout the ride to enable rest time.

Ms Wehrung described the ride as an incredible experience and the greatest thing she has ever done.

“It still feels surreal, and I’ve been doing so much reflecting since. I am so proud of our crew, especially the horses. It was an amazing time spent with family and my closest circle. This is time I will cherish for the rest of my life,” she said.

Highlights from the ride included the camp spots, and the locals they met along the way, along with riding through the Grampians. Ms Wehrung said she also enjoyed the breathtaking scenery between Elmshurst to Landsborough, shared exclusively on that day by riding with her brother Dan.

Ms Wehrung expressed her thanks to all involved, in particular, Geoff and Christa Botsman.

“It wouldn’t have been possible without them. The whole support crew was amazing, I have so much gratitude for everyone involved.”

Now back in Korweinguboora Ms Wehrung has gone straight into pre-season with her WNBL team Bendigo Spirit ahead of the season commencing on 4 November.