It’s a long and at times lonely journey but the Bony Mountain Pink Ride is always ready to be part of the fight against breast cancer.
Showing the impact the Warwick Trail and Endurance Riders Club has been making over the past decade, the endurance horse ride this year attracted a record field of horses and riders for the two-day event at the Bony Mountain Recreation Reserve.
This was an indication of the significance of the ride – also the popularity due to its novel nature in which riders have dressed not only themselves but their horses in pink.
Honouring the fact that cancer sufferers and survivors are not alone, riders travelled for up to seven and eight hours to attend the event – from northern New South Wales to the South Burnett.
There were six rides over the weekend and 191 nominations.
The queue of horses lining up for the Temperature, Pulse and Respiration (TPR) checks was a sight to be seen.
But it wasn’t just the number of people supporting this event, it was their vibrancy and commitment to the cause.
This is a weekend that is a lot of fun, in that it’s a series of friendly, non-competitive rides as preparation for the year ahead.
Yet the underlying message is a serious one. It showed how many lives have been affected by cancer.
This small club has raised $47,000 since 2014, which is incredibly impressive for a small community endurance horse riding club.
Proceeds of the 2026 ride are yet to be announced. Apart from ride nominations, much-needed funds come from donations of produce and hand-crafts – not just for riding awards but for the pink raffle.
The Pink Ride is the brainchild of long-time Warwick club member Jenny Noffke, who said the weekend was named in honour of Anne Jones … a great endurance rider for many years.
As well as being secretary of Queensland Endurance Riders Association (QERA) for 17 years, Anne was involved with the Australian Endurance Riders Association.
Having lived at Cooroy, she was an instigator of endurance riding in the Gympie and Noosa regions.
“Anne was one of the people who mentored me and made me who I am, and my horsemanship as a rider,’’ Jenny said.
“Unfortunately she passed away with breast cancer and this ride is dedicated to her, and her memory.
“It’s dedicated to all the men, women and children, sisters, brothers, wives and friends that have fought this awful disease and have won, but also those who fought and lost to date.
“There is still a long way to go together but it’s improving. One in four of you will get breast cancer but nine out of 10 will survive.’’
Breast cancer survival in Australia is among the highest in the world, with a 93 percent chance of surviving at least five years post-diagnosis.
Survival rates have improved significantly from the early 1990s, driven by earlier detection and improved treatments.
Tegan Streeter from the Warwick Trail and Endurance administrative team said the success of the weekend came from walking around, meeting people and sensing when breast cancer hit home for them – the impact it’s made on their life.
“The nice thing is about how a little club that makes no profit out of this event is creating a positive change within the community.
“It started because one of the original club members passed away from breast cancer, and it’s just so nice to continue this legacy.
“Riding and competing is fun but knowing you’re contributing to a larger collective – one that’s much bigger than yourself – makes the endurance world a better place. That is powerful.’’
Jay Randle of Splendacrest Stables at Preston on the Darling Downs, a strong supporter of young riders and survivor of cervical cancer, said awareness of breast cancer was vital, especially for young girls.
“They need to understand and talk about it. We are very lucky that breast cancer has been such public knowledge for so long, whereas other diseases are still catching up.
“It’s got public acceptance and everyone relates to it in different ways.
“Everyone knows someone who has been impacted by it and it’s all ages.
“It has to be talked about otherwise awareness won’t grow.
“Hopefully that will happen with other diseases … the unseen cancers like Hodgkinson disease and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“Cancer affects every single one of us. You never know when it’s going to hit you or someone you know.’’
QERA now holds a Blue Ride for Men’s Health at Kilkivan, and this year it will be on May 16-17.
Much of the success of the Bony Mountain weekend came from the variety of rides provided, over 6km, 12km, 20km and 40km distances.
Yet this year saw the introduction of a 10km relay ride, and although open to all riders it was designed especially to welcome absolute beginners to endurance riding.
The event consisted of two 10km legs, ridden as teams of two in relay format, with veterinary checks for horses.
The six rides offered saw a 95 percent completion.
What started as a one-year event at Maryvale, has proven so successful that it has been going and growing ever since.
Not just in the memory of Anne Jones but every single woman or man who has passed, so their struggle is not forgotten. The ride is to show cancer can be beaten and treatment can improve life.
It’s important to recognise both their struggle and that of the scientists and those in medicine who are working so hard to find a cure.
It’s about honouring the cause, and those who have been through this or who have lost loved ones.
Yet it’s also about acknowledging there are people going through it now. The Pink Ride is held in the hope that they welcome the support being shown, and brings into the light a very serious health issue that our community continues to face.
QERA president and Bony Mountain ride chief steward Dick Collyer thanked everyone who supported the Warwick Club’s Pink Ride.
“We had lots of volunteers on track and in the vet ring; great raffle prize donors; a great vet team; and especially great ride entries and great riders, who rode so sensibly in hot conditions.
“I know that just about everyone has been touched – and sometimes kicked hard – by the scourge of cancer.
“We will keep doing this ride for as long as we can … or until a cure is found.’’
