Living Legends celebrates multiple award wins

After what has been a trying few years for businesses everywhere, Living Legends is thrilled to be ending 2022 on a high, with the receipt of several awards and recognition from industry peers.

In October, the City of Hume hosted its annual Business Awards night, where Living Legends was named winner of the Visitor Economy – Tourism category, and then awarded the prestigious title of Hume Business of the Year. Tourism is the fourth largest sector of Hume City’s economy, with destinations and venues in addition to Living Legends such URBNSURF, Marnong Estate and Arundel to name a few (see lots more at #DiscoverHume). All contribute to making Hume a great place to live, work and visit.

Then, on December 1st at the Victorian Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) Awards Gala, Living Legends won two Bronze awards in the categories of Cultural Tourism and Tourist Attractions. These two awards taken together highlight Living Legends as a Racing Field of Dreams. Our base at Woodlands Historic Homestead and Park is one of the southern Hemisphere’s most historic thoroughbred properties and legendary thoroughbreds have been based here since the 1840s. In addition, Annie’s scones, the homestead and surrounding heritage gardens and national park all cap off the visitor experience

Living Legends CEO Andrew Clarke feels both proud and humbled by these achievements.

“It is an honour to be holding these awards, especially when we see the calibre of our fellow finalists. To win Business of the Year in Hume is very special and we’re grateful to the Hume Council for the award and the ongoing support and promotion they provide the visitor economy and indeed all businesses in the region.

“Our Bronze awards from VTIC are the icing on the cake. To place in the top three tourist attractions in the State across two categories is a momentous achievement. It shows us we’re doing something that people love, and it inspires us to keep going and to build our community and Learning with Legends education programs.

“These successes are a credit to our incredible team – their hard work, dedication and passion. It is also a testament to our loyal supporters, sponsors and donors, as our work would not be possible without their ongoing generosity.”

Living Legends sends out a special thanks to the sponsors, judges and organisers of both awards events for making these victories possible. Congratulations to all winners and finalists for the City of Hume Business Awards and the VTIC Tourism Awards. We look forward to working with you again in 2023.

Dale ‘Daisy’ Thomas visited Living Legends last week and loved his time with dual Cox Plate winner, Fields of Omagh.

Watch the video and see the photo gallery below. (Click to enlarge photos.)

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Pictures by Jay Town

via Racing.com News Hub

Champion sprinter Apache Cat is set to undergo treatment for eye cancer.

The eight-time Group 1 winner is set to have radiation treatment later this month, with Living Legends CEO Dr Andrew Clarke saying he was confident of a positive outcome.

“On the 23^rd they will scrape off as much of the (Cancerous) tissue as they can and they … (will do) radiation treatment,” Dr Clarke told RSN.

“It only goes 2mm deep. So he will have the radiation treatment on it and the prognosis is very good, but … you’ve still got to be nervous about these types of things.

“The good thing is we have got onto it early.”

Dr Clarke said he had started to get concerned about Apache Cat’s eye in November last year.

“Pache has always had a little bit of conjunctivitis in summer. Back in late November he had a little bit of what looked to be conjunctivitis and I had a look and I just wasn’t happy, there was a little angry spot in there,” he said.

“We had a couple of visits to Andrew (Turner, an eye specialist) and about three weeks ago we had to take Pache and have a biopsy done.

“It is the typical sort of sun type tumour you get on your skin. It’s very rare in the position (on Apache Cat).”

Living Legends, the international home of retired champion racehorses, is calling on racehorse lovers and supporters everywhere to vote in this year’s All-Star Mile and help it secure a $10,000 donation.

The All-Star Mile is the only horse race in Australia where the public chooses the field through online voting. The top ten horses from Australia and New Zealand will be granted a start in the race.

Living Legends has partnered with multiple Group 1 winning mare Arcadia Queen, and if she receives enough votes to secure a start, owner Bob Peters will make a $10,000 donation to the not-for-profit organization.

Living Legends CEO and Veterinary Director, Dr Andrew Clarke, said this is an easy way for fans and supporters to give the organization a real financial boost.

“As a charitable organization, every dollar we receive makes such a difference. I encourage
everyone who has visited Living Legends, seen us on social media, or met our Legends at the races, to get on board and vote as soon as they can.

“We are excited to get behind Arcadia Queen in the big race and grateful to Bob Peters for his generous offer. Now we need the public’s help to make it happen, Dr Clarke said. Everyone who votes in the All-Star Mile is eligible to share in $500,000 as one of the All-Star Mile owner ambassadors.”

“A vote for Arcadia Queen means a chance for all of us to win. Jump online now,” Dr Clarke said.

To vote visit www.allstarmmile.com.au and click VOTE NOW. Polls close on Sunday, 14 February 2021.

Living Legends is the only public rest home for racehorses in Australia and was established to nurture the deep connection between the community and our racehorse champions and promote life after racing for all horses.

Living Legends provides the perfect setting for people of every age to mix and mingle, get up close and personal, and really come to know these former champions.

Media enquiries: Dr Andrew Clarke 0407 551 289

Hong Kong legends Silent Witness, Good Ba Ba and Mr Stunning made history at #HKIR. Flag of Hong Kong

They now reside together at Living Legends where they can be visited by their fans from around the world.

Last month Living Legends was pleased to launch a brand new, user-friendly website, complete with a new logo that represents everything our organisation is about.

Living Legends was established to nurture the deep connection between the community and our racehorse champions and promote life after racing for all horses. We worked closely with graphic designers to create an image that communicates that connection, and we love the outcome.

The dark silhouette of the horse, contrasted with the light silhouette of the person, beautifully captures the touching scenes we see here everyday when our visitors meet our champions. 

The hand on the horse’s shoulder highlights our commitment to giving people the opportunity to get up close to and interact with our horses. For people, especially children, who can feel nervous patting a horse on the head, a touch to the shoulder or neck enables them to make that connection. 

It embodies the cornerstone of our work, and we are so happy to make it the official image of our organisation.

Our website had a major overhaul and is now an engaging and accessible platform filled with all the information our public wants to know. Read about the work we do with the Legends in our Learn with Legends, Learn from Legends and Legends Under Saddle programs. 

We have details about the Woodlands Homestead, Woodlands Park, the Heritage Gardens, the Black Caviar Café, and how you can arrange your next function with us.

Most importantly, we have profile pages for each of our Legends, past and present, that includes their racing career highlights; what they are up to now; and what their quirky personality traits are. 

You can also use the website to donate to our cause – it is as simple as a click of the button.

The new website is now live and waiting for you.

Legendary Caulfield Cup winners 30 year young Paris Lane(1994) and 13 year old Fawkner(2013) with model Dani Shreeve and the 2020 trophy at Living Legends before tomorrow’s big race, frontpage in today’s Herald Sun.

📷 by David Caird

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29 November 2019

The people of Victoria have voted, and Living Legends is the winner of the 2019 RACV People’s Choice Award for Best Tourism Experience or Service.

More than 11,000 votes were cast for over 60 Victorian venues, with Living Legends announced as the winner at a gala ceremony in Melbourne last night. 

It is the first time Living Legends has won a prestigious RACV Tourism Award, and CEO and Veterinary Director, Dr Andrew Clarke, paid credit to his team at Woodlands Park and the extended Living Legends family.

“It’s been a legendary team effort to grow and develop Living Legends into the treasured place it is today, from Annie’s famous scones in the Black Caviar Cafe to our 25 retired racehorses including the likes of Might And Power and Aache Cat who are available to the public 364 days a year. We’d like to sincerely thank our staff, sponsors, visitors and donors for supporting us along the way.”

“We were in a very strong field and on debut, and it feels like we’ve won the Melbourne Cup of Tourism. We are proud and humbled to receive this honour,” Dr Clarke said.

In addition to taking out the People’s Choice Award, Living Legends was also acknowledged as one of five finalists in the Cultural Tourism category of the RACV Victorian Tourism Awards. This recognition comes just two weeks after being announced as the winner of the Tourism category  at the 2019 Hume Business Awards, run by Hume City Council.

Living Legends is the only public rest home for racehorses in Australia, and has become a much-loved attraction for people of all ages within the racing community, the public and local and international tourists. There are currently five Melbourne Cup winners who call Living Legends home, and next week will see the arrival of two new residents at Living Legends – 2016 Melbourne Cup winner ALMANDIN and 2013 Caulfield Cup winner FAWKNER.

Living Legends was established in 2006 as the International Home Of Rest for Champion Horses and a public museum for horse racing memorabilia, on a site that once was home to 19th century race meetings and is one of the most historic thoroughbred properties in the southern hemisphere. Now, 13 years on, Living Legends is unique in Australia and has evolved into a treasured destination where the public experience the joy of interacting with retired champion racehorses surrounded by native bushland, wildlife and a deep connection with Australian history.

Media enquiries: Dr Andrew Clarke 0407 551 289