Ken Knight Challenge raises $9000 for Dungog Palliative Care Volunteers Dungog Shire Dungog Shire News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - March 12, 2025 The cheque presentation at the ‘Hospital Hill’ lookout in Dungog: Dianne Ryan, Margaret Jones, Paul Hugginson, Ken Knight, Annette O’Neill and Lynne Moseley. A GIANT cheque for a giant amount changed hands this week. At an official presentation on “Hospital Hill”, overlooking Dungog, representatives of Valley Team Penning and the Eastern Branch Australian Stock Horse Society (ASHS) donated $9000 to Dungog Shire Palliative Care Volunteers Inc. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The amount was raised at a team penning competition held at Bradley Park, Rutherford over the weekend of 8-9 February 2025. Five events were run, with around 200 riders competing. Groups of three riders cut specific cattle from a large mob and shift them to another pen, all within time constraints. It requires considerable skill and a rapport between team members and their horses. Eastern Branch ASHS came out on top in the head-to-head competition, with plenty of friendly rivalry and calls for a “rematch”. It was the idea of respected local horseman Ken Knight to donate the funds raised to Dungog Palliative Care. Ken has had his own brush with serious illness, so the event was named “the Ken Knight Challenge” in his honour. The fundraiser was such a success that another charity competition will be held in August 2025. Paul Hugginson, President of Valley Team Penning, said “it was a good weekend”, while Palliative Care Volunteers deemed it “wonderful”. Palliative Care ran a barbeque at the event, with highlights of the evening including raffles and a charity auction. A local charity, Dungog Shire Palliative Care Volunteers gives free assistance to residents of Dungog Shire who have been diagnosed with a life-limiting illness, as well as supporting their friends and family. Some of the goods and services Palliative Care Volunteers provide are transport, supply and cleaning of linen, medical equipment and respite visits. The organisation relies almost entirely on donations to be able to function. Dungog Shire Palliative Care Volunteers coordinator Annette O’Neill told NOTA, “Thank you to Dungog Farmers Warehouse, Bunnings and Valley Team Penning and everyone who contributed to helping and donating to this event.” By Lisa WISEMAN Representatives from the local organisations at the cheque handover.
