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In This Issue...
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Say GDay to Our Newest Team Members – Kathy and Faye
 Announcing…. Our new cook!! Kathy Gill (seen in the photo) has recently joined us to run the famous Yarrabin kitchen (and to help out everywhere else too!). She has mastered pretty much all the Yarrabin “special” meals, and even added a few of her own. You’ll enjoy all our old favourites, but also appreciate the warmth and humour Kathy brings. She loves to cook and to laugh – maybe that’s her strong Irish heritage coming out! Kathy and her daughter, Bree, lives with us now. Her son James will come up every now and then, and has plans to stock some dams with trout! Also joining us, as part of our “working holiday” plan, is Faye from Wales. Faye has been part of the Yarrabin Team for almost a month now, and originally came with her friend Laura. (Laura has joined her family now touring Australia – a BIG thank you to her for all her wonderful help!) Faye, with an engineering degree, is WAAAY overqualified for Yarrabin….but is fantastic with the horses, the animals, the children and the guests. We give them all a big welcome to Yarrabin – come and meet them soon and say GDay.
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Annie’s Riding Tip for October (written by Graeme!!)
 Well – where do I start?? It had to happen one day… with all the riding Annie does, and on some pretty wild horses at that (not the ones we get you to ride!!), she just had to fall off… And unfortunately while training for the One Day event at Oberon, it happened. Training on Major, and practising some BIG jumps, Annie lined up, had Major committed…then WHAM!! OFF!! Not a really bad fall, but she has cracked her sacrum (just above the coccyx or tailbone). Of course, it is hard to keep Annie off a horse, so despite doctor’s orders to stay off horses for 6 weeks, she rode all day on the Charity Ride!! So here’s my tip – stay on your horse, or if you have to fall off, land on something other your sacrum!! Send your flowers, chocolates and violins direct to Annie please... (As a side note, Jessica filled in for Annie in the One Day Event on Sunday 22nd October. She achieved sixth out of about 50 competitors in the OPEN division!! That's her competing on Lady. Harry also did really well and achieved fifth place in his division)
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Fancy a FREE week at Yarrabin??
 Would you love a week of food, accommodation, riding and fun for free? Of course you would!! But it comes at a price…. You get toned, fit, well fed, and fulfilled! Well, you may also get a few sore muscles…. But you do get to escape the rat race and the city pollution PLUS make a difference. It’s all about joining us for a “farmhand week” in February or August. There are always loads of jobs that we just don’t quite get to, and guests are always asking to come up and help out… so here’s your chance!! We’ll do a good half day of work, ride in the afternoon then share a few beers or glasses of wine before we rest our weary but alive-again bodies! Bring whatever skills you have, or just bring yourself! Some of the “jobs” (think of them as fun!) include fencing, paddock clearing, driving the tractor while you harrow or plough, painting, landscaping, carpentry, chainsawing and splitting firewood, planting trees, concreting, making new horse trails… The first “week” will actually be for the month of February (just cos it is going to be our big renovation month – kitchen, rooms, Bush BBQ and gardens), and then there will be a week in August. Minimum age 16. And no experience necessary!! Just a “let’s get stuck in” attitude!! Email or call if you’re keen (or want to send your partner!! J ) That’s all for now – til we see you again, enjoy life, smile and return to Yarrabin as soon as you can!! Happy trails!!! Annie, Graeme with Jessica, Harry, Jack, Will and all our wonderful team!! PS Please keep forwarding these ezine to all your friends and family so we can get to our 10,000 subscribers by the end of the year!!! Many thanks!! PPS – Don’t forget our December and January Kids Camp. More details on our website but all are filling fast!! Book your kids in for FUN FUN camps!!
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Welcome to our October ezine – and a big warm welcome to all our new subscribers (all 35 since our last newsletter!). We’ve been having some fun times here at Yarrabin, and looking forward there are even more to come! Plus the chance for you to have a FREE week at Yarrabin!! But first, the RDA (Riding For Disabled Association) Charity Ride last weekend. You may recall that this year we offered a special 3 day all-inclusive package for intermediate and above riders. We rustled up 15 for the ride – and we all had a wonderful time in probably the best Charity Ride ever!! There were 146 horses (!!!), about 10 carts, magnificent weather, and we rode about 40 km over some beautiful O’Connell properties. Everyone certainly appreciated the hot spa at the end of the ride – before back down to the O’Connell Pub for an auction. Over $24 000 was raised for a very worthy cause. Would you like to join us next year? The date is still to be confirmed but it is generally held at the end of October or beginning of November. Check in the Thursday evening, warm up your riding seat on Friday, ride in the Charity Ride on Saturday, then enjoy a sleep in and expansive buffet on the Sunday. Limit of 15 guests. We’ll let you know the date as soon as we know it, but let us know now if you are interested and we can send you some more info.
The 18th of October 1976 was a very special day at Yarrabin – it was the day that Snuggles was born! We still have the original Yarrabin horse book (which goes back to 1963!) and know that Snuggles’ mum was Crystal and father was Blue John! Did you know that Snuggles even had a foal? Her name was Nestles. If there are any Yarrabinites who can remember back that far, please send us any stories or pictures of Snuggles you may have. The photo shows Annie celebrating with Snuggles – party hats and all!!
Yes, it took us a little a while, and we did appreciate all your suggestions, but we finally have a name for our new filly. We have called her “Lily.” So Rosie has Lily! They are both going really well, and Lily is now four weeks old! Lily is even “halter-broke” and can be led. Today they are being put out to the paddocks to experience some freedom and some good grass (when it rains!). But if you haven’t had a chance to meet Lily (or even our other foal Olly), we’ll take you out to the paddocks and you can get a close up! (the photo shows Faye, our working holiday girl from Wales – see the article below to get to know her – with Rosie and Lily)
So you missed out on that awesome Charity Ride?? But still yearn for some long canters, a pub lunch and a decent ride back? Plus the hot spa, fantastic food, and great company with like-minded company?? Here’s your chance to join us for one of popular “Riders Weekends” from supper on Friday 1st December right through to Devonshire Tea on Sunday 3rd December. You don’t have to be an advanced rider – just able to trot and canter, and we’ll do the rest! Space is strictly limited to 18 people for a well-priced all-inclusive package.
Just about everyone has heard of Clean Up Australia (and now Clean Up the World) which was started in 1989 by Ian Kiernan. If you have been on one of Leadership & Horses programs, or a corporate development program, you will have heard Graeme talk of Ian. So it was a great pleasure for Graeme to meet Ian in person, at his O’Connell farmhouse. Ian has spent a great deal of time and money restoring one the area’s original buildings back to it’s former glory, with a few added modern environmental additions. Ultimately it will offer self-contained accommodation, and give guests an insight into life in the 1830s. Graeme and Ian are working on many things – such as having Ian as a guest speaker on our leadership development programs, and incorporating some of the latest environmental innovations to Yarrabin. Click on the link and see something of Westham Farmhouse..jpg)
Here’s this month’s puzzles. Two correct answers emailed to us before the next ezine, then be randomly selected and you will win a free horse ride at Yarrabin! Puzzle one (from Rachel Thomas): What appears once in every corner but twice in every room? Puzzle two (from Graham Willis): I looked under the table and saw a hand completely detached from an arm. I looked across the table and could see the man sitting there had all his fingers and thumbs in the right places...oh and his hands were attached to his arms. I was sure the hand under the table was his. I stood up and punched him really hard...why?