The magic of reading books is one of life’s guarantees, and a new project in Parkes aims to help schools to impart this power to students.

The Book Buddies project is looking for volunteers to spend time at any of the schools in Parkes to help students with their reading.

Initiator of the project, Peter Guppy said he was motivated to do something after realising how many adults there were who could not read. “So many kids have no books at home. With this project we hope to get kids to love books and help them on their way.”

The beauty of the project is that it works both ways. “There are many older people whose grandkids are far away who would love to spend time with children,” said Peter. But anyone with time on their hands are welcome to join.

One of the first people to sign up was Jessica Kinsela who is in her gap year. “I want to go into teaching and thought it would be a good idea to do this.” Jessica chose to volunteer at her alma mater Holy Family and has started going there every Tuesday to help out. “I think it is a very good idea and would encourage more people to do it. It is very good for our community.”

According to Peter the reaction from all six schools in Parkes has been terrific. “They definitely want volunteers to come and help.”

Application forms and further information are available at the library. The first step would be to apply for a working with children check, which is free for a volunteer. Contact Peter Guppy on 0448 166 016 or pbguppy@ gmail.com if you have further questions.

As Frederick Douglass said: “Once you learn to read, you will be forever free.”

By Maggi Barnard

Sarah Reeves is set to be an IT girl after winning one of 280 Public Education Foundation scholarships.

The Year 11 Parkes High School student was awarded a Trades and Technology Opportunity scholarship earlier this year. Today Mi- chelle Stanhope, CEO of the Public Education Foundation, made a special trip to Parkes to officially present Sarah with the scholarship at a school assembly.

The scholarship encourages senior students to pursue a career in trades or technology, and Sarah admits she was anxious about her chances of winning it.

“When I first thought about the scholarship I didn’t think I would get it because I’m a female. I had the preconception that it is a male dominated industry. In my school gender isn’t much of an issue – there are other girls who are interested in tech and maths, but I was still unsure of my chances.

“So, I was actually really excited when I got it. It allows me to have extra money to help fund school requirements.”

Sarah’s favourite subjects are extension maths, chemistry and physics. “I am very interested in electrical transmission of waves and how computers work,” she said.

“I haven’t set one concrete ambition yet, but I know I want to work in technology. Because of the way the world is going, I want to en- sure I’m equipped for the future. I’m thinking about studying IT, or finding a way that I could combine IT with education.”

Sarah said that she owed a lot to the teachers who had supported her. “They’re really connected and encouraging,” she said. “I would also like to thank the Public Education Foundation.”
By Raen Fraser

Skiing isn’t the only thing winter brings to the Snowy Mountains; the colder weather also heralds the start of brumby season. According to researchers it’s a bleak environment for horses; with little feed on the ground by the end of winter many are in a pitiful condition, some will have perished. National Parks runs a passive trapping program through winter to reduce the feral horse population; while it remains a contentious issue, it is seen as preferable alternative to culling. While some of the lucky ones – often foals and yearlings – are saved by rescue organisations, many of the older mares and stallions were inevitably sent to slaughter because no one could take them on.

Until now.

A family from Cobar have set out to help save the Kosciusko brumbies. Joe Hughes, along with his wife Mel and their four kids, take all the surplus brumbies in a bid to rehome them. They truck them from the holding pens in Tumut to their homestead in the heart of New South Wales. The mares are spelled in the back paddock to give them the opportunity to foal, and the stallions are gelded by a team of veterinarians. The ultimate goal is to train them for new homes.

The Hughes’ offer a week-long clinic to show new owners how to train their own brumby; not only giving the horse a second chance at life, but also teaching the owner Joe’s incredible training methods.

It might sound like a rugged cowboy experience full of lassos and bucking broncos, but in practice it’s more like “How To Train Your Dragon” – only with brumbies.

Joe’s training technique is as simple as it is spectacular. In just a matter of minutes he can tame an untouched horse using nothing but the clap of his hands and an averted gaze. In a matter of hours a brumby could be ridden around the yard, or stand calmly while someone slides off its rump.

One of the first brumbies he trained is now a kids’ pony. Kosi is a pony club champion, winning ribbons just months after coming out of the Snowys.

“Brumbies are such quality horses,” Joe said. “They’re physically hardy, but also so smart, and so trainable.”

While the horses are undoubtedly majestic, the real magic is in Joe’s ground-breaking groundwork. The method, which he has dubbed 4BP (for brumby protection), is the product of his  life-long horsemanship experience; as a young boy on a station he had to train his own horses, but he lacked the physical strength to dominate them. His solution was to develop a technique based on understanding, trust, and respect.

His technique is so easy that even novice handlers can train a brumby.

I was lucky enough to be one of them. Over five days Joe and his 18 year-old daughter, Lauren, coached me through the process of training my own brumby mare. First I taught her to look at me, then how to trust me, and finally how to carry me. By the end of the week my previously untouched brumby mare was under saddle and stopping on voice commands. But for me the most incredible thing was developing a bond with a ‘wild’ horse in a matter of hours.

Joe is not the only horse trainer working to save the brumbies; there are tireless individuals and organisations all over the country who rehome brumbies and campaign for their welfare, and they all provide an invaluable service for these majestic creatures.

What sets Joe apart is the effectiveness of his 4BP method, the ease with which even beginner-riders can learn his technique, and the generosity with which he shares his knowledge and opens his home to people from all over the globe. Taming a wild horse is a unique experience but Joe would like to see it become as accessible as possible. His willingness to take the surplus Kosciusko brumbies and train them for homes saves them from slaughter.

He offers a win/win for the hotly debated environmental management of the parks. As Joe puts it: it’s saving our environment through saving our heritage.

For more information or to register for a clinic visit 4BPhorses.com or find them on Facebook.

 

By Raen Fraser