The Central Desert Regional Council is proud to once again be associated with the Harts Range Bush Sports Weekend being held over the Picnic Day weekend in August (2nd - 4th August).  The weekend will feature the Indigenous Communities Horse Race sponsored by the Council.  The Tom Cleary Stakes is a horse race in which local community members will be competing to see who has the fastest bush horse. 

The event is named after Mr. Tom Cleary currently of Atula Station (and formally of Mt Riddock Station) who has been one of the clubs patrons for many years and an avid jockey in his time.

Indigenous Communities Horse Race the Central Desert Regional Council ‘Tom Cleary Stakes’

Which community has the fastest horses and riders?

Saturday August 2nd

Race Rules:

• Time: 10:00am nominate; race starts 10:30am sharp
• Length of race: 400m
• Nomination Fees: $20/horse (covers insurance for jockeys while in race)
• Riders must be over 16 yrs old, wear safety vest and helmet (supplied by club) and use stock saddle.
• Horses must be not registered for racing and have lived on an Indigenous community or homeland for at least the last 12 months.
• Riders and owners must be residents of Indigenous communities or home-lands in the Central Australia region. (Central Desert, Macdonnell and Barkly)
• Prize money: 1st- $300 + trophy   2nd-$200   3rd- $100
• Only 2 horses per community or outstation allowed with a maximum of 8 per total for the race.
• First in best dressed.
• Horses can also compete in the other 2 races- Gemtree Bracelet and Elders Stockman’s Cup

Questions or to nominate ring Liz Bird 8956 9779.

The Harts Range Racecourse is located 215km east of Alice Springs on the Plenty Highway and is adjacent to the Atitjere community.  For more information please see the Harts Range Amateur Race Club’s website: http://www.hartsrangeraces.org.au/aboutus.html (external link).

Softball is alive and well in the Central Desert region as the cream of the community crop take the stage in Laramba this weekend to battle it out for bragging rights and a trip to Darwin fro the NT Softball Championships.

The annual Central Desert Regional Council Softball Championships culminates with the Finals weekend in Laramba which kicks off on Saturday. Thirteen teams from eight communities across the region have been preliminary home and away matches to whittle it down to the final four; Laramba, Atitjere, Nyirripi and Ti Tree.

Thanks to support from NT Gov Department of Sport & Rec and Commonwealth’s Indigenous Sport & Active Recreation Program, the top two teams will travel to Darwin to strut their stuff in the community division of the NT Softball Champs over the August long weekend.

Mr Ross Fraser Manager Youth Sport & Community Services highlighted we are proud of ensuring opportunities for women to participate in structured physical activity which is a core component of the Central Desert Youth Sport & Community Services program.

For more information please contact Ross Fraser on 0419 905 476.