Club Profile

1989 - 2010

Celebrating Twenty-One Years

of Carriage Driving

Jimboomba & Districts Pleasure Drivers Inc. (located South East Queensland) mark their 21st Anniversary this year. Carriage Driving in Australia is spread over seventy clubs with membership numbers in excess of 1,500 individuals with most of the Members based in New South Wales and Victoria. Clubs vary greatly in size and interests with some primarily Pleasure clubs, (non competitive), while others are more Show or Competition orientated.

The majority of Members are 'pleasure drivers' however competitive drivers maintain that they compete for 'pleasure'. Members Show successfully at Royal Show level and also support the many local Agricultural Shows around their districts. The sport is suitable for all ages - those too young to drive often become passengers on Pleasure drives, private drives or in the show ring. Combined Driving Events or CDE's are a form of competition carriage driving devised by H.R.H. Prince Phillip with other driving enthusiasts. It is a great family sport often with several generations involved on one competition vehicle. Competitions can range from one small pony and jogger (pneumatic tyred competition vehicle) with car and float for one person, right through to four or more horses, two carriages, a semi trailer and an army of helpers.

Other carriage driving activities include Pleasure Driving, Private or Park Driving, Showing and Competition Carriage Driving with variations of each in between. Carriage driving members participate in parades, promotions etc. and some clubs support historical villages and the activities based around these venues.

Different types of harness may be used including leather, a synthetic webbing harness or a mixture of both. Many drivers make or repair their own harness. Most use more that one set with the synthetic harness used for training and marathons while the good leather harness is only used for Showing, Presentation and Dressage competitions.

The Jimboomba club is the one of the largest carriage driving clubs in Queensland, and as the 21st Anniversary of the club draws near, it is timely to reflect on the club's achievements and history.

Jimboomba held its Inaugral Meeting in October 1989 and affiliated with the Australian Carriage Driving Society (ACDS) in December of the same year. In March 1990, the first harness clinic was held and titled, 'An Introduction to Harness' at nearby Cedar Vale. In total four major events were held that year with three of them as fund raisers for the local community. In November 1992, the Beaudesert Shire Council gave approval for the club to use the grounds at the corner of Cusack Lane and Henderson Road, Jimboomba. The area of approximately 25 acres has become the home of the club for the last eighteen years.

Each successive year has seen Jimboomba grow with more Members and events being held. The club has hosted the Queensland Show Driving Championships five times. The current calendar includes a major club event the third Sunday of each month, Club Members have open access to the club grounds to train and prepare their horses for upcoming events.

It has a permanent home and is slowly improving the amenities so that anyone using the grounds can do so in comfort. The club boasts a wide variety of equines ranging from Miniature Horses, to the heavy horses such as Clydesdales and Percherons along with the occasional donkey. Members have a wide range of skills and experience and are always happy to share their knowledge with others.

In May 2009, the Annual Jimboomba Show Driving Day was held in conjunction with the ACDS Queensland Branch Show Driving Judge's refresher school as Show Driving Judges must be reaccreditaed every three years. This is an important event as it enables many of the Agricultural Show Societies of Queensland access to accrediated judges for their events. The club also received funding from the Q150 Government Grant to stage an expo to commemorate the role that the horse has played in the development of Queensland.

Everyone is made welcome and the club advertises activities in the local community paper as well as on their own website which can be accessed at www.acds.org.au click on Net Links. Canteen volunteers whip up a mean snag sandwich or hamburger at club days which is washed down with an ice cold drink or hot cuppa. Any person interested in the sport of carriage driving can come and join us for a bit of fun and education. People who may not have a carriage or sometimes even a horse come and visit to work out if it is a sport that may intrest them.

Debbie Hamilton

Vice-President

2009 -2010