It’s time to get bidding!
The Virtus Global Games Fundraiser is well and truly underway, with the online auction offering an incredible range of products and services!
The auction is open until 6pm AEST 12 May, so there is still plenty of time to get your bids in and help contribute to this wonderful cause.
The auction features everything from overseas holidays, to saddles, wine, RB Sellars vouchers and more – there really is something for everyone.
Access the online auction here.
You can bid on $250 RB Sellars vouchers (available for use on both horse rugs and apparel) via the below links:
About the Virtus Global Games fundraiser
The sixth edition of the Virtus Global Games, the world’s largest elite sports event for athletes with an intellectual impairment, is set to be held in Vichy, France from 4 to 10 June 2023. Thousands of athletes from Europe, America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania will perform across ten main sports – and this year, an equestrian division has been included.
Australia has selected a team of three athletes: Andrew Driffield from Scone, Hunter Valley, NSW; Sarah Sherwood from Tallebudgera Valley, Gold Coast, QLD; and Sui Watts from Mitchell Island, Mid North Coast, NSW.
Competing overseas of course comes at financial expense to the athletes and their families. As has been the case many times in the past, Heath Ryan of Ryan’s Horses is leading the charge to help raise the funds required.
“There are numerous bodies making donations, which is fantastic,” says Heath. “However, the team still needs $70,000. This will get our three Australian riders to France, compete in the Virtus Global Games, and get them back home again safely. It will also help guarantee at least one parent to also be able to go and support their son or daughter. I think this is paramount from a health and safety point of view.
Heath’s commitment to the fundraising was sparked by his personal connection with one of the athletes. “My connection is with Andrew Driffield who worked for me as a working pupil some 25 years ago and this was in the time when other working pupils working for me included Kevin McNab, Boyd Martin and my younger brother Matt Ryan. All three of these boys have gone on to be Olympic and/or World Championship medallists. When they were all working for me so long ago at the New South Wales Equestrian Centre the conversation was always about riding for Australia and competing at the Olympics. Andrew Driffield who was part of that team of ‘out of control’ young people adopted this ride for your country whole heartedly and has lived and worked for the dream of riding for Australia for all of these years.”
Andrew Driffield. Image supplied.
Heath says that Andrew is incredibly excited to have been selected for the Virtus Global Games, but finding the resources to attend is challenging. “He is going crazy with excitement. Andrew and his family do not have access to lots of resources and of course I have told him that I will help with his expenses through fundraising. This is my moment to step up! As it turns out, the other two selected riders, Sara Sherwood and Sui Watts, are also short of funds and are looking at a situation where not even their parents can afford to go.”
The online auction is set to be the key part of fundraising efforts and will finish up on 12 May – just over two weeks before the team leaves for France, providing time for Australian Virtus Global Games team Chef d’Equipe, Jenny Carroll, to distribute the funds and purchase uniforms etc.
Cash donations welcome!
“There will be those of you out there who would like to make a small cash donation,” adds Heath. “I personally will donate $5.00 to the Go Fund Me page. There is no cash donation that is too small or too large. Some of our recent Facebook posts have reached 150,000 people. If each person was to donate $1.00, we will have far exceeded our wildest expectations.”
Donate via the Go Fund Me page here.
Heath explains that driving this whole show is Mary Nitschke, the current Australian Under 25 Grand Prix Dressage Champion. “She is much more pleasant to speak to than me. Mary will be on call and driving this whole project 24/7 from now until all funds have been duly distributed, which should be by 19 May. This responsibility which Mary is about to shoulder is mighty and thank you Mary.
“This Virtus Global Games Fundraiser is a great cause and please be aware, your efforts here are much more far reaching than you can ever imagine in terms of Australia’s future. Please help us out!”
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