Wooback Yass World Record 2014

By: Alice Taprell, www.facebook.com/littlemomentslastingmemories - featured in the Spring 2014 Edition of the Horse Downunder Magazine

After a delayed start to allow for the massive line of traffic rolling in to witness this huge event never seen before in Australia or the World, The Yass Antique Farm Machinery Club broke a World Record today the 4th May 2014, at “Willowvale” Yass, for the most heavy Horses ploughing in one field all at once for a short period. 

This Club has previous experience in World Record Events, with the inaugural “Plough and be Counted” event held by the Club on the same property in 2001.

With temperatures not rising above the single digits and wind that felt like ice on your skin, it didn’t seem to discourage the crowd arriving in great numbers, and over 5000 people came from all over Australia to witness this historic day.

While the crowd eagerly waited for the record attempt, there was no shortage of things to see and do, there were plenty of stalls, hot food, free hot coffee/tea, old machinery on display, tractor pull, a mechanical bull, The Canberra Celcic Band playing, Bullock Team and ploughing practice sessions happening all throughout the day.

The time had finally arrived, people crowded at the fence line, cameras could be seen and heard clicking everywhere. Children and adults were about to see something they had never witnessed before. The Canberra Celcic Pipe band started playing Amazing Grace, the beautiful voice of an angel we all heard giving this moment great justice, was by local talent sixteen year old Siobhan McGrath. One of the verses that were sung in Amazing Grace was “Tis Grace that brought these horses here and Grace will lead them home”, and then Advance Australia Fair was sung, the moment was so surreal.

With a ring of the Bell 28 Heavy Horses started ploughing their way into the Guinness World Record book, a moment in history was happening before my eyes, you could see people wiping away their tears of overwhelming joy, including myself.

Chris Broers, the official organizer of Wooback, had put in countless hours of planning and organizing this wonderful day in history, with his partner Sara. Chris told me, “I feel very proud, and I’m so proud of my special partner in crime, Sara Deacon, this would not have happened if it wasn’t for Sara, and she missed it as she was down the paddock with a horse in hand.”

Chris knew it would take more than just one man to pull this off and he had the dedication and commitment of a very hard working committee and local community behind him. “They are all awesome people and so many club members and public volunteers on the day just wanted to help!”

When I spoke to Chris a week after the event he said he was still feeling fatigued from the day, he did a marvellous job entertaining the crowd all morning before the record was set, by ploughing up and down the fence line behind two beautiful teamed Clydesdales, Harvey and Blue.

Chris received a very special gift just after the World Record was set, a horse named Prince, who he had been training and looking after for the last three months, Prince was measured and named the tallest horse at Wooback 2014, at 18hh. Owned by Craig Pollock and Anne Stewart, the gift of that horse had left him absolutely speechless, and you could see by the expression on his face how priceless that moment really was for him. Chris was quoted as saying “Two very special people here in Yass, Craig Pollock and Anne Stewart who are moving to WA soon, gave me the best gift I have ever received, I am having trouble taking it in still, and there was a few tears shed between us when Craig shook my hand and said “Prince is yours”. I have been looking after Prince for a while at Cliftonwood and became very attached to him since Sara, Tony and I first went out to their property to see him. He will be well looked after Craig, I’m very proud of Prince, and again thank you and Anne so much, Other than that you absolutely floored me yesterday! And left me speechless”

The day being a charity event, had no shortage of helpers and businesses donating time and/or products, but a special mention must go to an amazing woman, Kellie Hall of Castlereagh Feeds who kept all the horses fed and also donated a pallet of “Pro breed” for everyone to take home, the true Aussie spirit was certainly alive and well for this wonderful Australian event.

Congratulations to all the team at Wooback for a wonderful, tireless effort, it was such an emotional moment and I will always remember this day as a very special moment in history that I and thousands of others had the honour of seeing.

Our friends at Downunder Magazine kindly shared this story with Horsezone - Downunder Magazine is Australia’s leading horse, cattle and country lifestyle publication.

The Spring Edition of The Horse Downunder Magazine is out NOW! If you'd like to subscribe to Downunder Magazine please email tara@horsedownunder.com.au (just $32 for four issues) or look out for this great Aussie mag in your local newsagent or saddlery store.

Visit the website here www.horsedownunder.com.au