Experience Western Downs
Love Horses?
Head to Rubern Lodge Shelley Callaghan (nee horsemanship to all our students Washington) is a true Chinchilla and additional skills including local having lived in the town all dressage. her life. She is well known as a “Our Rubern Riders are a strong, local equestrian coach, mentor, connected group, a family really, expert and generally the go-to who often travel throughout person when it comes to horses in the country competing at the region. Shelley has taught equestrian events. hundreds of children how to ride over the past 39 years SHELLEY “For a long time we and she is rightly proud BELIEVES THAT have been the first of some of her high RUBERN LODGE’S stop for anyone achievers. NATURAL BEAUTY moving to town with NEEDS TO BE horses because they Shelley is the manager of SHARED. often need somewhere the Washington family’s handy to agist while 300-acre property “Rubern they settle into their new Lodge” which looks like a set properties. So we sometimes from the popular TV series “Saddle get to know the new horses in town Club”. before the people! We currently “Rubern Lodge is an equestrian have 40 horses on agistment.” centre offering agistment and Shelley believes that Rubern riding lessons for absolute Lodge’s natural beauty needs to be beginners to advanced competition shared. riders,” she said. “We teach
48 LIVE WESTERN DOWNS 2021
“It’s a beautiful spot close to Chinchilla town centre,” she said. “Tourists and locals like to visit and enjoy water sports on the lagoon including paddleboats and kayaks. Shelley recently added another string to her bow by acquiring qualifications as a marriage celebrant. “Two years ago we converted an old church on the property into a B-and-B. That sparked an interest in weddings so we created pretty areas for ceremonies and receptions which are proving very popular.” If you’re moving to Chinchilla with horses, or if you are interested in taking up horse-riding (no matter what your age) get in touch with Shelley first and make it happen!
