Lenny's Ride Heritage Highlight
In 2022 the RAS celebrated its own bicentenary, the 90th birthday of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and another intriguing Show story – that of Lenny ‘the Legend’ Gwyther and his trusty mount Ginger Mick.
Accompanied by two horsemen from the RAS and surrounded by police and cheering citizens, on 9 March 1932, 9-year-old Lenny Gwyther arrived in Martin Place, Sydney. He had just spent five weeks riding the 965 kilometres from his family’s farm in Leongatha, Victoria – entirely alone.
As a reward for hard work on the farm, his parents had allowed their machinery obsessed eldest son to follow his dream and head-off to the big smoke to attend the opening ceremony of one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century – the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Talk about gumption, the farm boy managed to gain food, lodging and fans all along the route and by the time he reached Sydney, Lenny was a household name. Hearing that he also planned to enter Ginger Mick in the Easter Show, the RAS took boy and horse under their wing and RAS Secretary, Colonel Somerville was there to greet Lenny when he arrived.
On 19th March Lenny and Ginger Mick marched proudly past the assembled dignitaries, forming part of the opening parade across the newly opened Harbour Bridge and three days later, novice saddle pony Ginger Mick paraded proudly past the assembled judges at the Royal Easter Show, ridden by one Lenny Gwyther of Leongatha.
Sadly, boy and pony were not successful in competition but enjoying the incredible sights and sounds of the Royal Easter Show more than made up for it – as did his meeting with the legendary cricketer Donald Bradman at the Cricket Ground next door.
Abandoning his original plan to return by boat, Lenny headed home again, the way he’d come. When the pair finally arrived back in Leongatha on June 10, Lenny and Ginger Mick were greeted by a civic reception attended by 800 people. The legend of Lenny’s remarkable solo ride during the height of the great Depression is commemorated by a bronze statue of the horse and boy standing today in the Centenary Park at Leongatha.