Shirtsleeves to Shirtsleeves in Two Generations

Before the race is run on Tuesday 1 November, the $175,000 trophy is touring 34 locations across Australia and New Zealand with West Wyalong being included in this year’s tour.  I have been asked with others to be part of the Street Parade from 9:30 to 10:00  in a four person horse drawn buggy. My father J.J.Leahy’s mare Sarcherie ran four times in the Cup with two seconds and one third. My mother’s family the McDonells, who originally came from Glen Garry in Scotland, lived on a dairy farm on the Manning River near Cundletown in the north of NSW. Their cart horse Zulu’s normal duties was delivering milk to the residents of Cundletown,  near their farm. In 1881 he won the Cup carrying five stone (32.2 kilograms) with jockey Jim Gough. This is the lightest weight ever carried by a cup winner. It is thought Zulu walked the long way to Melbourne for the Cup. This was not unusual at the time as Archer won the first Cup in 1861, after walking the 500 miles (805 kilometres) from Nowra in NSW.

In the afternoon the Cup is visiting the Bland Shire Council Library between 3:10 and 3:30. Before this, from 2:00 to 2:30, I have been asked to give a talk on J.J.Leahy’s part in Australian rural history. He owned or leased over 100 large properties in NSW and Queensland with “Manna Park” north east of West Wyalong being his key property. During the afternoon my two books will be available.