MOUNTED in the saddle and locked at walking pace, Australian actress Rachel Griffiths set off on horseback from Hunter Valley Horses at 8am sharp on Friday morning, on route to Tamworth.
The Melbourne native is participating in the 2024 Tour d'Horse - 1/2 Million Dollars Stakes, which is dubbed the greatest horsemanship challenge on earth and sees funds raised for charity KIDS Foundation.
Tour d'Horse is aiming to raise half-a-million dollars for the KIDS Foundation to education and care for seriously traumatised and injured children. All 2024 programs have an equine focus, with some using retired racehorses.
Riding day one kicked off slow and steady, with Ms Griffiths representing MJ Payne Racing, along with fellow riders John Minto and Craig Alexander in the 10-day, 200 kilometre endurance race.
Hunter Valley Horses' Scott Googe said he and the team were "very enthusiastic" to help out as the starting point for ride one.
"We're happy to do whatever we can to help these guys succeed - which I am sure they will," he said.
"They are doing an amazing job."
Mr Googe said every day on the farm in Pokolbin, they get to see the positive impact interactions with horses have on people.
"We know the impact of equine therapy on trauma victims is not recognised enough in Australia as it is in other countries. I think anything that shines a light on the huge benefit and what these guys who have been through can gain, is a great cause," he said.
The race will ride into Tamworth and join the Toyota Country Music Festival Parade on January 27.
Of the $390,000 already raised MJ Payne Racing team has raised $53,000. The 1/2 million dollar target will enable KIDS Foundation to reach 200,000 kids in 2024.
Available slots have been taken up by many leading names in the horse industry including Godolphin, Emirates Park, Michael and Anthony Freedman, MRC, VRC, Magic Millions, along with 11 other industry partners.
