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Established in 1842, the Portland Observer and Guardian is published each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and circulates with almost saturation coverage throughout Portland, Heywood and surrounding rural areas.

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The Portland Observer is published by Lila Joy Davis for the Spectator-Observer Partnership (Reg No 0557877R), 45 Percy St., Portland 3305, and printed at 59 Gray St., Hamilton 3300. Classified deadlines For publication on Deadline Monday...... 8.30am Monday Wednesday...... 11.00am Tuesday Friday...... 10.30am Thursday District weather

© Commonwealth No 077: School group Dartmoor 1901. of 2013 www.bom.gov.au Teacher Hellen Smith began working in the area in 1896 at North Dartmoor State Issued November 17, 2013 School. In August 1900 she took over at Dartmoor 1035 and stayed into 1906. South West District Forecast Today. Patchy fog early in the morning. Sunny day. Light She campaigned successfully to have a fence erected around the school to keep wind becoming north to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h in the morning then becoming light in the evening. ‘the children pure and innocent’ and ‘from wandering over the Township … and Fire danger: high. mixing with all classes of travellers’. Tuesday. Partly cloudy. Isolated showers in the south from the early afternoon, extending throughout during the late af- Amongst those pictured are Walter (sixth from left) and Percy Allen, Mary and ternoon and evening. Wind northerly 15 to 20 km/h shift- ing southerly 25 to 35 km/h in the morning. Win Conole, and several Spencer and Dowling children. Portland Today. Sunny. Min 9 Max 23 Tuesday. Shower or two developing. Min 13 Max 19 Wednesday. A few showers. Min 10 Max 14 West Coast Waters Today.Wind: Easterly 10 to 15 knots turning north to north- easterly early in the morning. Weak afternoon inshore sea breezes. Seas: Around 1 metre. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 metres, increasing to 1.5 to 2 metres before dawn. Tuesday. Wind: North to northeasterly 10 to 15 knots shift- ing southwesterly early in the morning then tending A Long Rein - an inspirational story southerly 15 to 20 knots in the late morning. Seas: Around 1 metre, increasing to 1 to 2 metres during the morning. REVIEWED by ELLEN LINKE Mary admitted, and she and her ‘mad chestnut Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 to 2 metres, decreasing to 1 to A LOVE of horses is something many girls thoroughbred’ Felspar won their next event, 1.5 metres around dawn. Wednesday. Wind: Southerly 15 to 20 knots. Seas: 1 to share, but for a girl called Mary it was more winning the dressage section for the first time. 1.5 metres. Swell: Southwesterly 1.5 to 2 metres, increas- than just a love — it was an obsession She and Gert went on to marry and live in ing to 2 to 3 metres during the morning. that resulted in her going on to represent Denmark for a time, competing in events and at Australia at four Olympics. shows, before returning to Australia and setting L10am Monday In ‘A Long Rein — An Equestrian Journey’ up stud and equestrian centre Statene Park. 1008 Mary Hanna’s own story is intertwined with Life was not meant to be easy for Mary, 1008 L 1005 the love story of her mother and a German however. naval officer, as well as tales of others whose They lost the stables, arena and fences of their lives inspired Mary to fulfil her dreams. Macedon property in the 1983 Ash Wednesday There was her Aunt Anna who, as a child, fires; Mary’s mother died after a short illness, L 1006 was interned in a Japanese prison camp in and then Gert was tragically killed in a car L Indonesia. Despite living in a ‘hell on earth’, accident! 1010 she managed to find moments of joy, and Mary immersed herself in work for a time, and remains Mary’s greatest role model. then her “knight in shining armour” appeared 1016 L 1015 There was Bill Roycroft, an equestrian of the over the horizon — Rob Hanna. highest note, who often instructed Mary and By then Mary was 40, but her desire to go to 1024 1016 H 1008 H others at the pony club. the Olympics was as strong as ever, and the 1031 1024 And there was Owen ‘Doc’ Matthews, who work continued. 1000 grew up in an orphanage; went off to war and With the help of Rob, and with trainers 10am Tuesday became a prisoner of war working on the Burma including Clemens Dierks, Kyra railway as well as being incarcerated at Changi. Kyrklund and Anky Van Grunsven, Mary went He then went on to become horse master for on to compete in international events around 1008 the Victoria Police, and taught his horse the the world and four Olympics — in Atlanta in H most complicated of dressage movements after 1996; in Sydney in 2000; in Athens in 2004, L 1011 watching movies including ‘The White Horses her the lesson that winning is everything! and in London in 2012. 1003 of Vienna’. Riding was an important part of her childhood, Mary and Rob Hanna live on the Bellarine L 1008 Mary was born in Yea, to Joan and Jim but was restricted to the holidays after she Peninsula, where they run the dressage training 1005 L 1007L Sutherland, on December 1, 1954. went away to boarding school at the age of facility, Statene Park. 1007 The family moved to Queensland for a year, 11. In her final year at Presbyterian Ladies A Long Rein is an inspirational story of Mary’s before her father bought ‘Glengleeson’, a College her class was invited to a party aboard life, and the lives of so many other people. It is 1016 property between Hamilton and Port Fairy. a visiting German ship, and it was that event sure to be well received by others who share Riding horses was a virtual gimme for Mary that prompted Mary’s mother to reveal her own her love of horses, and those who dream of 1024 H 1016 — her mother was a passionate rider, showing romantic involvement with a German naval representing their country — as far off as that 1030 1008 horses for many years; her father had hunted officer. might seem to be. It is also a love story, as well 1000 1024 and ridden point to point; her aunt Kitty won the Mary also found herself attracted to a visitor as a historical tale. In fact, it is a book that will Rainfall From 9am Thursday to 9am Sunday: Cape Nelson Garryowen the first two years it was contested from overseas, — Danish equestrian Gert appeal to so many people, on so many levels. 1.0mm; Portland 0.6mm; Dartmoor 0.2mm. (1934-35), and her cousin Michael was good at Donvig. A Long Rein — An Equestrian Journey, by For latest Warnings www.bom.gov.au/weather dressage and three-day events. As she pursued her dream of representing Mary Hanna, was released on October 12. It ph 1300 659 217 (Cost of a local call) Mary was just nine years old when she entered Australia in three-day she took is available from Horseland stores nationally, Southwest Sun protection recommended her first Royal Show on a borrowed lessons from Gert, who was a dressage expert. and from the Statene Park website www. Coast between 9:20am to 5:10pm pony. It was not an auspicious start, but taught ‘His teachings were a revelation for me,” statenepark.com.au.