Brumby out brush Hero - The Young Witness

A Young local placed fifth in the first Australian Brumby Challenge this month, taking the top spot in her speciality and her wild horse home.

After 100 days of training, Colleen Clancy took to the Victorian Equestrian Centre to showcase the skills of her brumby yearling.

"It went really well," she said. "We actually won the freestyle, which we were really pleased about."

Named for the brave men and women who fought fires raging across NSW late last year, young brumby Bush Hero and his trainer strutted their stuff in the proud orange of the State Emergency Service.

A local SES controller herself, Colleen could appreciate all that uniform means.

"I would particularly like to thank the SES for giving me permission to use the corporate images in my Freestyle class," Colleen said.

"I would like to thank all my friends and family who supported and encouraged me throughout the training period."

The Australian Brumby Challenge was organised by the Victorian Brumby Association, hoping to raise awareness of the 600 wild horses captured in national parks every year, most slaughtered for dog food.

Far from becoming pet food, Colleen said Bush Hero is set to become a pet himself.

"I've brought him home to live with me," she said. 

"He was happy to come home."

And it looks like Colleen wasn't the only one who fell for her four-legged friend.

"There were seven trainers who ended up wanting to take their horses home, and they were able to do so," she said.

All saddle-age horses were sold, as well as all but three yearlings, who were taken into the care of the Victorian Brumby Association.

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