Local farmers Blair Wilding and Nick Tighe were welcomed by Wickepin residents and farmers as Avon and Hills Carriage Driving Club conducted their Centenary of Armistice Commemorative Parade and Pleasure Drive in the town last month.
The drive on October, 12 to 14 coincided with the well known Wickepin Art Show as well as the street markets on Saturday morning.
The parade was lead by four horsemen in uniform representing returning soldiers of WWI as well as one riderless horse to commemorate the 92 young men who did not return from WWI to the District of Wickepin.
This was the fourth weekend parade and pleasure drive conducted in Wickepin by Avon & Hills CDC from Bakers Hill, to commemorate the Centenary of WWI.
Drivers, ponies and horses travelled from as far north as Meckering and south as far as Karridale for the three day pleasure drive over a course of around 44 km.
The Commemorative Armistice Parade concluded with a garland presentation by Albert Facey’s granddaughter Christine Harling to the best horse and carriage turnout, driven by Jane John, from Karridale.
The National Archives record Albert Facey servinh for the Australian Imperial Forces in the eleventh Battalion in Gallipoli.
Commemorative sashes were presented by local community members to all carriage drivers and grooms.
On the presentation sash was printed in gold the names of the ninety two young men from the District who were killed in WWI.
The Sunday pleasure drive east of Wickepin to the Ten Mile Tennis courts was hosted by members of the local Ten Mile Tennis Club.
The tracks were great and the weather was kind with just a bit of drizzle at the beginning of the drive.
Carriage Driving event Directors Sue Tighe and Marilyn Piper from Clackline said the event was one way of taking carriage driving into the wider community as well as sharing Wickepin with the opportunity to commemorate the Centenary of Armistice in an historical context.
