BY DI SNEDDON
Scone Horse Festival is in its 45th year and despite its age, the enthusiasm and excitement for the event is showing no signs of diminishing.
The Festival’s VIP night was held at Arrowfield Stud last Friday night and the gathering paid homage to all breeds of horses including Thoroughbreds, Australian Stock horses and draught horses, as well as the men and women who breed and work with them.
Brad Wamsley was left speechless (almost) after being named VIP of the Year.
Brad has dedicated more than 36 years to the sport of polocrosse, making an extraordinary contribution at both a local and national level through leadership, coaching, breeding and community involvement. For more than 30 years, Brad has served as President of the Bunnan Polocrosse Club, playing a vital role in sustaining and growing the club across generations.
Brad represented Australia in the Under 21s Polocrosse Team in Darwin in 1995 and has recently been selected to represent New South Wales in the Masters competition in Darwin later this year.
Olivia Thrift, 17, was named Young Achiever of the Year in recognition of her dedication, resilience and outstanding horsemanship. Olivia began riding at the age of three through Pony Club and was competing at the Sydney Royal Easter Show by the age of six.
In 2022, she was recognised as Champion Pony Club Rider by the Royal Agricultural Society, before progressing into Open classes and later transitioning into the Australian Stock Horse arena with Tocal Royalty, known as Willow.
In December 2024, Willow suffered a serious paddock accident which sidelined the horse from competition for several months. Throughout the recovery process, Olivia showed exceptional commitment and responsibility, personally caring for Willow daily under the guidance of Scone Equine Hospital.
Olivia has been awarded Scone Grammar School Equestrian Rider of the Year for the past two consecutive years and most recently received a Junior Rider Award from the Australian Stock Horse Ladies Association National Awards in Melbourne.
Horse of the Year 2026 is Chisum’s Boyd owned by Mikayla O’Halloran who said if she spent every minute of every day with ‘Boyds’ it wouldn’t be enough.
The award also recognises Mikayla’s unwavering dedication, work ethic and commitment to her horses and the cutting horse industry.
“Her patience, care and understanding of each horse as an individual has helped shape Chisum’s Boyd into one of the industry’s standout performers,” a proud emcee of the night and Horse Festival chair Jason Hill said.
Afterwards Mikayla was in tears as she paid tribute to a horse she clearly loves.
“I wouldn’t be here without him, he knows more about cutting than I do and has taught me so much,” Mikayla said clinging to her Boyds’ award.
All three recipients are proud of the legacy being given to Scone through this iconic event.
But the night wasn’t all festivities as Jason sombrely shared his sadness on the recent death of Jim Marshall, a stalwart of the Scone Horse Festival who dedicated four decades to delivering the Jack Johnson schools event.
“The Horse Festival committee voted to award Jim life membership two days before he passed away.
“That honour will be presented posthumously at a later stage but for now, it is up to all of us to celebrate his contribution and the contribution of so many others who have made this event the icon it has become,” Jason said.
