[vc_row][vc_column width="1/1"][vc_custom_heading text="OAM for equine excellence" font_container="tag:h2|font_size:40|text_align:left" google_fonts="font_family:Abril%20Fatface%3Aregular|font_style:400%20regular%3A400%3Anormal"][vc_column_text]

MARCH 2016

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/1"][vc_separator color="black" align="align_center" style="dotted" border_width="2"][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width="1/1"][vc_column_text]

Congratulations to Meander Valley’s Mrs Judith Kilby who made the Australia Day Honours List and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her ‘service to equestrian sports as a coach and administrator.’

“I’m still feeling a little bewildered by it all,” said Mrs Kilby after being notified of the award.

The person who instigated Mrs Kilby’s nomination had attended the first Tasmanian Mountain Cattlemen’s Get Together in 1988.

The Tasmanian Mountain Cattlemens Association (TMCA) had been formed in 1986 with its aims to maintain the rights and traditions of Tasmania’s high country people.

He identified the objectives of the TMCA as giving the people of the North West region the courage to fight for land access and land usage.

He observed the leadership of Mrs Kilby, a founding member of the TMCA and president for the first three years, as having a prominent role in the far-reaching political campaign which was successful in retaining the freehold status of Lees Paddocks.

As the Association plans for its 30th Anniversary next year Mrs Kilby is still actively involved, ready to support whatever issue arises. Service to the TMCA is only a small fraction of Mrs Kilby’s involvement with the equestrian world.

With an impressive list of 8 life memberships; 1998 Tas Pony & Riding Club, 1999 Westbury Agricultural Society Inc. 2002 Northern Zone Pony Club Association Tasmania, 2004 Pony Club Association of Tasmania, 2007 Tasmanian Mountain Cattlemen’s Association Inc. 2008 Northern Hunt Club 2014 Show Jumping Tasmania – North, 2014 Northern Tasmanian Equestrian Club, you begin to understand the depth of Mrs Kilby’s commitment to all things equine throughout her life.

In the late 1970’s Mrs Kilby was asked to coach the Tasmanian Pony and Riding Club (TPRC) team for the Pony Club Horse Trials. This began her long career in coaching. She coached the State Pony Club Eventing Teams at the National Pony Club Championships in 1995 and 1997.

In 1981 she was appointed Chief Instructor of the TPRC, a position she held for 16 years. She went on to become an Accredited Coach, Coach Educator and Assessor.

“It has been very rewarding to see many of the riders I mentored go on to excel in their riding and in their coaching and to now see them instructing and officiating in various capacities.”

Experience as an Official Dressage Judge, Show-jumping and Hacking Judge, Showjumping and Cross-Country Course Designer and Official gave Mrs Kilby a broad base of knowledge to pass on to riders.

Cross-country course designing and building began for Mrs Kilby when Northern Tasmanian Eventing Club was formed in the 1970s.

For many years Senior Eventing and Pony Club ODEs were held each year on the Kilby family property, “Pine Lodge” at Westwood.

A member of the Northern Hunt Club since the 1950’s when her father was it’s ‘master’, the Kilby’s have hosted hunts on their property for the past 30 years.

[udesign_icon_font name="fa fa-camera" color="#000000"] Mike Moores