A champion show horse and his rider helped commemorate their fallen equine comrades from the Australian Light Horse Brigade at the Churchill Anzac service.
Tyers horse lover Maddi Zammit and her elegant galloway Dunelm Showdown – or Shane – were kitted-out in a traditional light thorse uniform on loan from the Morwell RSL sub-branch.
“I would trust him with my life, he is super-reliable and he doesn’t mind posing for a photo. He has presence and nothing much phases him,” Maddi said about her 13-year-old gelding.
“He stands through the speeches and through the minute of silence. I feel very honoured to be part of something so special.”
More than 136,000 Australian Waler-type horses were sent overseas to fight with the Australian Imperial Force and the British and Indian governments in World War I.
Only one horse, Sandy, made it back to Australia and is now on display at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
The passionate horse woman said she was more than happy to be involved in the local service when she was approached by Morwell RSL sub-branch vice president Don George.
Maddi has been showing horses for the past 15 years and said Shane is the pick of her paddock. The registered part-Welsh Riding Pony cross-bred has won sashes at the Melbourne royal, horse of the year, and grand national shows.
Mr George said he wanted to acknowledge the contribution that Australia’s animals had made to the war effort.
“The Australians couldn’t bring their horses back with them because of our quarantine laws, so some soldiers shot their horses instead of leaving them there to suffer,” he said.
Mr George said Maddi and Shane added a “dashing” look to the Churchill service.
“It gives us that 1915 feel to have the light horse with us, and it brings us back to the times when Australia relied on the horse.”
