The tenth annual Liverpool Range Harness Club charity drive is almost here.
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Preparations are well underway for this year's drive, which will start in Manilla on September 21, before moving onto Gunnedah, and then finishing in Attunga on September 28.
Every year, members of the club traverse across the north west countryside in horse-drawn carriages, with stops to tell stories around the campfire while enjoying the company of others.
Some will even be travelling all the way from Queensland and the Victorian border to get involved with the festivities.
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The drive will once again be raising funds for Royal Far West, and has in the past nine years raised over $100,000 for the charity.
Liverpool Range Harness Club president Peter Honeyman said the drive was a way for club members to enjoy their sport and hobby while also raising money for a good cause.
"They help country kids, so they came out to all the country areas and the schools and have doctors, and they check out the kids and see if they have any problems [with their] speech, eyes, teeth and such," Mr Honeyman said.
"If they can't treat them there they send them down to Sydney ... and they keep them there for a couple weeks normally and treat them."
But Mr Honeyman said numbers had dropped off for this year's drive because of the drought.
"We've got quite a few members of our club who are [cattle farmers] ... and because they're doing it real hard, sourcing feed and what have you, they can't leave the farm because they're busy doing feeding," he said.
The club president said another reason for dropping numbers was because members were getting older.
"I'm young and I'm 65. A lot of the blokes are in their 70s getting up towards 80s, so it gets harder for people to move around," Mr Honeyman said.
"There's not many young people coming through but we still put it out there. We used to get 40 horse drawn vehicles but this year we'll get about 15-20."
To find out how to donate to Royal Far West, contact Judy Tonkiss on 0438 669 271.
Jessica Worboys
Education and youth reporter at the Northern Daily Leader. Get in touch via jessica.worboys@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Education and youth reporter at the Northern Daily Leader. Get in touch via jessica.worboys@austcommunitymedia.com.au
