Shahzada 2024 Kickstarter Fund

Hi there,

My name is Faith Robinson and I'm raising money so that we can ALL have another chance at doing Shahzada in 2024 and well into the future.

We are asking for financial help to get Shahzada up and running again.

Whether Shahzada is still on your bucket list, or you've done just one or fifteen Shahzadas, whether it's The Big One: 400 km: one horse, one rider, 5 days, or the Mini Marathon: one horse, one rider, three days 120 km, Shahzada holds a special place in so many hearts.

Please share this fundraiser with anyone you know who has a place in their heart to help get this year’s Shahzada off the ground. Money is needed ASAP.

The last Shahzada was held in 2019, just before the devastating bushfires razed the country around the Macdonald Valley where this iconic ride is run. Every track was affected by the fires yet that small, brave and stoic committee was forging ahead with a Shahzada in 2020... That was until COVID hit! In April it was decided to pull the pin not only due to lockdowns preventing travel to work on the tracks, border restrictions, ever changing government restrictions on gatherings not to mention whether there were even going to be enough fit horses to compete.

Again in 2021 it was COVID, as well as floods which greatly damaged our tracks... then a real impact!! In July 2022, St Albans was totally inundated by MASSIVE flooding. The biggest in living history

The buildings where everything Shahzada owned were inundated, 1.7 meters under water. Our contents destroyed: chainsaws, power tools, marquees, track marking signs, catering equipment, tables, chairs, water pumps, electronic equipment and the list goes on. All of our 20,000 water tanks, water cubes and water troughs washed / floated away along with all our water taps we had around the village.

We are also up for a huge bill to get the electricity repaired and put back on, plus repairs to the shower block including replacing the gas heaters.

All up Shahzada lost around $60,000 in assets. We were strongly encouraged to apply for the NSW government flood grants and are greatly appreciative of the $8000 we received; it unfortunately still leaves us well short on essential items to start up again.

In the four years that have passed, since the last Shahzada, ongoing expenses have gradually whittled away at the accounts, as well as the physical loss of infrastructure.

There will, in due course, be a program to donate physical goods, but there is nowhere to store them that isn't mould infested. Funds are what is needed and needed soon.

Please help!

The feeling of pride and camaraderie at participating in a Shahzada, I believe, can hardly be surpassed. Whether or not you complete the entire challenge, just the fact that you made it there is a huge achievement! Getting the horse fit, time away from work, family and farms, organising days of gear, feed and rugs and then there's the travel!

People travel with their horses from all over Australia to come to this ride! It takes days and days for our Tasmanian, Queensland, South Australian and Western Australian Endurance riders to arrive at the usually sleepy little village of St Albans.

They come to realise a dream. They come to be part of a truly amazing experience: it's not just the riding. It's the whole thing: the beauty of the MacDonald valley, a team of selfless and dedicated volunteers, strappers, families, spectators, the bustling village experience, catching up with old friends, making new ones. Reaching for goals, maybe making new ones. Perhaps a mini marathon this year and a Shahzada 400 next year??

Without money, none of this will happen again.

Please, if you are one of those distant travellers from afar, and unable to spare the time to come to one of the many working bees, to clear tracks and rehabilitate the Ride Base, please consider a decent donation to kickstart our favourite ride!