Guest Blog: The Australian Trail Horse Riders Association

In this guest blog, we hear from the Australian Trail Horse Riders Association (ATHRA), who share why supporting Dolly’s Dream felt like a natural fit for their community. 

From their strong commitment to kindness, inclusion and respect, to the incredible ways their clubs are coming together across Australia for Do It For Dolly Day, ATHRA shows how shared values can turn into meaningful action, both on and off the trail.

The Australian Trail Horse Riders Association (ATHRA) wanted to support a charity that matched our own values, and Dolly's Dream aligned perfectly with our values, in particular, kindness and support along with the creation of a trail riding environment free of bullying, racism, sexual harassment, and all forms of discrimination. Many of our club members could have family members who would benefit from the support provided by Dolly's Dream, and we believe in supporting charities that support communities across Australia. 

Our association is encouraging our clubs to hold a Do It For Dolly trail ride event in May. The events our clubs are hosting range from day rides and weekend camps to fully catered 9-day riding camps, and some clubs are running raffles, donating goods for auctions, and donating their ride fees, to name a few. It's been wonderful to see each club's initiatives and fantastic to see the willingness of our clubs to support such a cause.

We also had some very special shirts designed to commemorate Do It For Dolly Day, and as part of our fundraising activities, the proceeds will be donated to Dolly Dream. So, even if members can't attend an event, they can still support the cause by buying a shirt.

We are excited! So far, we have 26 clubs participating in Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland, and the number keeps growing each day. Our clubs are starting to register and join the ATHRA fundraising team, and we have found the Dolly's Dream team amazing to deal with as they are so supportive.

We would love to make this an annual event for ATHRA clubs and the association. Hopefully, all trail riders across Australia will be able to jump on board and add to our fundraising, as there are a lot of trail riders out there and whilst not all belong to clubs, they can still donate to the cause by going for a trail ride, taking photos, or even buy a shirt to help fundraise and support Do It For Dolly Day.

A heartfelt thank you to the Australian Trail Horse Riders Association and all of their clubs and members for their passion, generosity and commitment to creating safe, inclusive spaces. 

From trail rides and camps to fundraising initiatives and commemorative shirts, the support shown for Dolly’s Dream is truly inspiring. We’re so grateful to be riding alongside ATHRA on this journey and can’t wait to see the impact this growing movement will continue to have across Australia.