Hi
all,
We left
the Shahzada campsite at 7:20am on Monday
morning after handing in our campsite number and bidding
farewell to
Neil and others as we left.
As we drove up the freeway
heading home to Kundabung
we turned on the radio and all talk was about the
lockdown of
everything equine. We couldn't believe all the talk about no
horse's
to be transported at all and yet we had been given a permit to leave
the site.
About 3 hours from the campsite we were pulled
over by a
police highway patrol officer who was extremely pleasant and couldn't
believe that he was the first to pull us over. He checked
our permit,
photographed it with his mobile phone and took details.
He said that
he would let the other officers on patrol know that we had a permit and
that he couldn't promise but hopefully we wouldn't get pulled up
again. Apparently the police had received many phone calls about
us
travelling with horses during the lockdown from drivers with mobile
phones.
We kept travelling homeward, scared to look sideways
at
other drivers because we felt like criminals even though we had
permission to leave.
We were only pulled up once more during our
journey
home, the policeman was great, checked the paperwork and let us be
on
our way again.
Finally arriving home we started to panic when
we heard
that the site had been locked down not long after we left. Was
there a
sick horse at St Albans? Had we possibly taken the flu with
us? It
was very, very worrying.
We've been checking our horses, taking there
temperature
regularly and fortunately they are fine and show no
flu symptoms, thank
goodness.
We have been checking the DPI Site and
Shahzada site
every couple of hours and see that St Albans is clear at present, what
a relief.
Just hope that everyone is keeping there spirits
high
and a little sorry that we are not there with our friends (but it is
good to be home).
Our sincere appreciation to the Committee and
many
volunteers who put so much into running the Shahzada. It is
wonderful
to be part of this great event. Last year we came as strapers,
this
year to try the trainer, who knows next year.
Regards to all from Marilyn and Ron Urban
PS if this gets to the campsite please tell Marylou
Locke not to worry about her cats, dog and horses, they are fine.
This site is copyright
to:-
Ian Rosser
PO Box 249
Hay
New South Wales 2711
Australia
Shahzada
Committee
C/- 47 Berowra Waters Rd
Berowra
New South Wales 2081
Australia