Friends of the Stidwell Bridle Trail celebrate 25 years of beloved horseriding trail with community event

West Australian

22-05-2025

The Stidwell bridle trail celebrates its 25th anniversary this Sunday, with a free community event planned to commemorate the occasion.
Friends of the Stidwell Bridle Trail will host an afternoon celebration and discussion session at Albany Equestrian Centre from 2pm to 4pm on Sunday, open to members of the public interested in learning more about the trail's history and future plans.
There will be a free afternoon tea and presentation by the group to provide plans for the safety, environmental concerns, and sustainability of the trail to keep it open to horse riders into the future.
The trail first opened in 1999, and has been well-used and beloved since then by local horse riders.
It encompasses three circular routes to the south-west of Albany town centre: Robinson Loop, Sandpatch Loop and Werillup Loop, which interconnect near Albany Equestrian Centre.
The trail was subject to a local law determination by the City of Albany council in December of 2023 to make parts of the trail only accessible to horses and their riders, prohibiting the use of four-wheel-drive vehicles and motorbikes along the trail.
In September of 2024, at the urging of members of the community including the Friends of the Stidwell Bridle Trail group, the trail's restricted access areas were further updated by the council to improve safety for horses and riders.
Now, the entirety of the Werillup Loop track, and part of the Sandpatch Loop, are exclusively for use by horses and riders.
Friends of the Stidwell Bridle Trail were instrumental in seeing both changes through, with committee members presenting a petition with 842 signatures to the council in 2023 to support the changes to accessibility.
The group is volunteer-based and continues to support the upkeep and future of the trail.
Friends of the Stidwell Bridle Trail chair Samantha Stevens was also a finalist for the 2024 Mike Stidwell Medal, an accolade honouring outstanding volunteer sporting administrators, and group member Marena Williams was nominated for Great Southern volunteer of the year for 2025.