On this day two weeks from now, we'll have a trio of Australian visitors here at the Lovestead. And, my mind is swirling with thoughts of all that they need to see and experience.
I've never met these people, although I have interviewed one. In 2000 when the Summer Olympics were held in Australia, Polly was involved in a mounted Search and Rescue team who had the honor of carrying the Olympic torch. I'll post the full story below.
Eleven years later, Polly, her daughter and her friend, all horse lovers, are excited about their first visit to North America, and Bill and I are just equally excited to host them for a few days.
As their visit grows closer, I keep thinking of what we take for granted about our daily lives and what they will find fascinating about our culture and our country.
Yesterday I made plans for them to go on a trail ride at Western Pleasure Guest Ranch, and they want to visit the Appaloosa Horse Club headquarters in Moscow. We'll also take them on a scenic geocaching tour and make sure they cross into Montana.
I decided, after hearing more details from Polly, to drive up to the Canadian border to meet them. They're flying in to Calgary and planning to attend the Calgary Stampede before heading to Idaho.
It will be neat to experience firsthand someone's introduction to the United States and to witness what makes them go "Wow." Having just had that experience in Ireland and several years ago in New Zealand and Mexico, I have no doubt that these ladies will be all eyes and ears.
While here, they'll be staying in the new-old motor home. Polly told me in a letter last night they'll plan to be here three days and then taking off on their own---just in case we don't like them.
Now, that definitely is a factor when you've got a bunch of almost perfect strangers coming to stay with perfect strangers. Of course, after reading Polly's comment, my immediate thoughts were: maybe they won't like us.! Guess we'll all know in two weeks.
Anyway, it's fun planning for their visit, which I hope to document. Could make a good story. Speaking of which, you can read the 2000 Appaloosa Journal story, featuring Polly, below.
~~~~
By the time it had reached Australia’s Olympic Stadium, the fiery symbol of the Summer Games had created a kaleidoscope of memories and inspiring stories for its bearers, support staff and onlookers.
Traveling more than 18,000 miles via boats, trains, ferries, a race car, horses and humans through 1,000 Australian towns, the Olympic Torch passed over the Land Down Under for 100 days (June 8—Sept. 15) on its journey to Sydney.
One of those days, July 13, proved very special for a nine-member mounted search and rescue group, which included seven Appaloosa horses. On Day 36 the State Emergency Service Horse Search Team aka Kapunda Mounted Unit, led by Harvey Zbierski on Diamond Z Spook, helped escort the torch through the small communities of Clare and Kapunda in South Australia’s wine country.
“It was an experience that could only happen once in a lifetime,” says group organizer and Appaloosa owner Pauline Morran of Kapunda. “We patrolled the streets and provided support to police as well as the foot patrols.
“We started off so serious but ended up interacting with the crowd on a personal level,” Morran explained. “The kids loved the horses and I reckon that nearly every child in the street patted or clapped when the horses came near.
“Finally we received notification that the torch had hit the town and we swung into action maintaining the crowd as it started to bottleneck into the street when they tried to grab a glance of the torch,” she continued. “We were going so well until we saw the torch, and everyone in the team was over-awed and as Joyce [Atkinson] put it, her heart skipped a beat. All too soon it was over . . . .”
The group worked for two hours during a lunch-time visit in Clare and later that afternoon during the torch’s half-hour pass through the historic copper-mining town of Kapunda.
One of those days, July 13, proved very special for a nine-member mounted search and rescue group, which included seven Appaloosa horses. On Day 36 the State Emergency Service Horse Search Team aka Kapunda Mounted Unit, led by Harvey Zbierski on Diamond Z Spook, helped escort the torch through the small communities of Clare and Kapunda in South Australia’s wine country.
“It was an experience that could only happen once in a lifetime,” says group organizer and Appaloosa owner Pauline Morran of Kapunda. “We patrolled the streets and provided support to police as well as the foot patrols.
“We started off so serious but ended up interacting with the crowd on a personal level,” Morran explained. “The kids loved the horses and I reckon that nearly every child in the street patted or clapped when the horses came near.
“Finally we received notification that the torch had hit the town and we swung into action maintaining the crowd as it started to bottleneck into the street when they tried to grab a glance of the torch,” she continued. “We were going so well until we saw the torch, and everyone in the team was over-awed and as Joyce [Atkinson] put it, her heart skipped a beat. All too soon it was over . . . .”
The group worked for two hours during a lunch-time visit in Clare and later that afternoon during the torch’s half-hour pass through the historic copper-mining town of Kapunda.
Training officer Paul Kearney, a former mounted policeman and past member of the Australian Light Horse Association, considered the busy 12-hour day a great success. Besides getting up at the crack of dawn to prepare their horses, the group had to load up in floats (trailers) several times to get from one venue to another. Clare is about 50 miles from Kapunda.
“The primary task was to keep people off the road,” he explained. “The secondary task was public relations. The kids and old folks loved the horses. The police were grateful for our assistance and my riders enjoyed themselves. It was superb and a privilege to work with the other riders. All turned up. None complained and uniforms and horses looked magnificent.”
The spotted horses made a splash in both community events, according to ambulance driver and spectator Jacqui Bridge.
“They were very colorful and well behaved and a good ambassador for the breed,” she said.
Pauline’s daughter Hayley rode her 15-year-old Appaloosa gelding Belron Friendly R. (Friendly).
“I was very nervous about how my horse would react to the size of the crowd and the flags,” she said. “but I need not have worried as he was fine with everything. The torch arrived (in Clare) at 12:15 p.m. As the crowd went mad with excitement, I also was thrilled with excitement. Friendly took everything in his stride.”
As the only one of its kind in South Australia, the mounted unit has forged a successful uphill battle for support since 1995 when Morran, a tenacious visionary and State Emergency Service volunteer, conceived the idea.
“I had queried why, in our vast state of varied conditions, did we not have a mounted search and rescue team,” she recalls. “I have to admit it was not warmly received but with many a nagging, I had my wish granted on the fourth of November in 1997.
“We did not have access to funding so everything had to be begged, borrowed or acquired,” she adds. “To start with, we had three full volunteer members and one cadet. This has since increased to nine.”
Members include men and women ranging in age from 15 to 60. Hayley Morran, a gymkhana, barrel racing and jumping enthusiast, serves as a cadet. She generally receives the same training as other members but would not search for a body because of her age, according to Kearney, a South Australia highway patrol officer.
Kearney says the only membership requirement for riders to have access to a horse, preferably their own. Training involves mounted cavalry drill movements for parade work or crowd control and land search exercises.
“This will involve work amongst traffic and people on foot just walking around, lots of cheering, etc.,” Kearney explained, adding that the only requirement for riders is to come with an open mind, willing to learn and with plenty of enthusiasm.
Training occurs twice monthly for practical exercises and weekly in riding theory. Some sessions, lasting for entire weekends, focus on different styles of land searches, practice with evacuation procedures for fallen riders and lecture sessions.
The group appeared in its first public event, the Celtic Parade Festival, in March, 1998. Since that time, thousands of onlookers have seen the mounted unit in three Celtic parades, a Barossa Valley Vintage Wine Parade, and a parade through central Adelaide, a city of 1.5 million about 65 miles south of Kapunda.
The Kapunda Mounted Unit has been put on standby for several searches. One search involved 130 personnel, helicopters and several hundred man hours. Morran said the horses were unfazed by the helicopters.
While searching for missing persons, riders observe a few basic rules. They must maintain a line when working in a sweep pattern and search from only one side of the horse---left or right--as designated. They are also expected to maintain the welfare of their horses before their own, follow orders to the letter, and maintain professionalism at all times.
Kearney explains that mounted search and rescue units can be helpful because, seated two meters above the ground, riders have a greater view of open land, and the horse can travel four times faster than a person on foot.
“We can go in more hostile terrain quicker than a person on foot and perform reconnaissance more efficiently and more quickly,” he explained. “Also, when a foot searcher is starting to tire and needing a rest, the horse has just warmed up and is ready for the real work.”
Through their public appearances and continued training, the Kapunda riders are gaining both visibility and credibility from the skeptical hierarchy of the State Emergency Service and the South Australia Police Department.
“As the police have their own mounted unit, we had to show them that we were not a threat to their existence as budgeting is always an issue in public service,” Morran explained. “Now that they see the publicity and raised profile that we have achieved especially at the government level, we have a budget.”
The group now operates on a government allocation of $7,500 per year. In addition, the state has supplied two new 3-horse floats or horse trailers. More vehicles are expected.
Besides her passionate efforts to see that the Kapunda Mounted Unit continues to gain stature through its public service, Morran, owner of four Appaloosas, wants to keep the breed in the spotlight as much as possible. Her efforts are working.
“The Appaloosa has been highlighted not only locally but also in Adelaide Central where people just can’t get enough of the spotted horse,” she says. “[Also,] when we attended the Vintage Parade, we had a lovely comment made. An American couple who came over for the festival said we were the best group of colored Appys they had seen in a long time.”
“The primary task was to keep people off the road,” he explained. “The secondary task was public relations. The kids and old folks loved the horses. The police were grateful for our assistance and my riders enjoyed themselves. It was superb and a privilege to work with the other riders. All turned up. None complained and uniforms and horses looked magnificent.”
The spotted horses made a splash in both community events, according to ambulance driver and spectator Jacqui Bridge.
“They were very colorful and well behaved and a good ambassador for the breed,” she said.
Pauline’s daughter Hayley rode her 15-year-old Appaloosa gelding Belron Friendly R. (Friendly).
“I was very nervous about how my horse would react to the size of the crowd and the flags,” she said. “but I need not have worried as he was fine with everything. The torch arrived (in Clare) at 12:15 p.m. As the crowd went mad with excitement, I also was thrilled with excitement. Friendly took everything in his stride.”
As the only one of its kind in South Australia, the mounted unit has forged a successful uphill battle for support since 1995 when Morran, a tenacious visionary and State Emergency Service volunteer, conceived the idea.
“I had queried why, in our vast state of varied conditions, did we not have a mounted search and rescue team,” she recalls. “I have to admit it was not warmly received but with many a nagging, I had my wish granted on the fourth of November in 1997.
“We did not have access to funding so everything had to be begged, borrowed or acquired,” she adds. “To start with, we had three full volunteer members and one cadet. This has since increased to nine.”
Members include men and women ranging in age from 15 to 60. Hayley Morran, a gymkhana, barrel racing and jumping enthusiast, serves as a cadet. She generally receives the same training as other members but would not search for a body because of her age, according to Kearney, a South Australia highway patrol officer.
Kearney says the only membership requirement for riders to have access to a horse, preferably their own. Training involves mounted cavalry drill movements for parade work or crowd control and land search exercises.
“This will involve work amongst traffic and people on foot just walking around, lots of cheering, etc.,” Kearney explained, adding that the only requirement for riders is to come with an open mind, willing to learn and with plenty of enthusiasm.
Training occurs twice monthly for practical exercises and weekly in riding theory. Some sessions, lasting for entire weekends, focus on different styles of land searches, practice with evacuation procedures for fallen riders and lecture sessions.
The group appeared in its first public event, the Celtic Parade Festival, in March, 1998. Since that time, thousands of onlookers have seen the mounted unit in three Celtic parades, a Barossa Valley Vintage Wine Parade, and a parade through central Adelaide, a city of 1.5 million about 65 miles south of Kapunda.
The Kapunda Mounted Unit has been put on standby for several searches. One search involved 130 personnel, helicopters and several hundred man hours. Morran said the horses were unfazed by the helicopters.
While searching for missing persons, riders observe a few basic rules. They must maintain a line when working in a sweep pattern and search from only one side of the horse---left or right--as designated. They are also expected to maintain the welfare of their horses before their own, follow orders to the letter, and maintain professionalism at all times.
Kearney explains that mounted search and rescue units can be helpful because, seated two meters above the ground, riders have a greater view of open land, and the horse can travel four times faster than a person on foot.
“We can go in more hostile terrain quicker than a person on foot and perform reconnaissance more efficiently and more quickly,” he explained. “Also, when a foot searcher is starting to tire and needing a rest, the horse has just warmed up and is ready for the real work.”
Through their public appearances and continued training, the Kapunda riders are gaining both visibility and credibility from the skeptical hierarchy of the State Emergency Service and the South Australia Police Department.
“As the police have their own mounted unit, we had to show them that we were not a threat to their existence as budgeting is always an issue in public service,” Morran explained. “Now that they see the publicity and raised profile that we have achieved especially at the government level, we have a budget.”
The group now operates on a government allocation of $7,500 per year. In addition, the state has supplied two new 3-horse floats or horse trailers. More vehicles are expected.
Besides her passionate efforts to see that the Kapunda Mounted Unit continues to gain stature through its public service, Morran, owner of four Appaloosas, wants to keep the breed in the spotlight as much as possible. Her efforts are working.
“The Appaloosa has been highlighted not only locally but also in Adelaide Central where people just can’t get enough of the spotted horse,” she says. “[Also,] when we attended the Vintage Parade, we had a lovely comment made. An American couple who came over for the festival said we were the best group of colored Appys they had seen in a long time.”
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