A passion for pony club

Helen Reid at her Nar Nar Goon home. 285034_02 Photo: STEWART CHAMBERS

By Shelby Brooks

Wanting to make her mother proud has been the driving force behind Helen Reid’s educational journey.

Despite dropping out at of school as a teenager, Helen has now received an OAM as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours.

“All I could think was when I got the letter was mum would have been proud of me,” Helen, of Nar Nar Goon, said.

“I don’t think I was an easy child or teenager.

“Not that my mum ever said I was a disappointment, but I felt I must have been.”

When her mother died, Helen went back to Pakenham High School as a 32-year-old to complete her HSC.

“I just wanted to make her proud of me,” Helen said.

“Everything I have done was to make my mother proud.”

Going back to school part-time as an adult gave Helen the confidence to begin working and volunteering in her community.

“I think it all just grew from there,” Helen said.

“It gave me confidence in that I was useful and I could do something.

“I didn’t have any.”

Upon completion of her HSC, Helen obtained a job in the school office under the mentorship of then principal Rowley Harman.

Around the same time, Helen’s youngest daughter developed a love of horses.

“I thought, ‘If she wants to ride, I have to do something’,” Helen said.

“And clubs are always short of volunteers. Somehow I became secretary, I don’t know how that happened.

“But I loved it because I love being involved with young people.”

Helen was the secretary of the Pakenham Pony Club from 1987 up until 2000 and even took on the additional role of the West Gippsland Zone secretary for many years.

Helen was also instrumental in getting the pony club grounds in Pakenham Upper up to scratch with improved facilities.

One of the highlights of her time as part of the pony club world was when she was asked to be secretary for the first pony club national games held in Victoria.

She was the inaugural secretary and committee member of the Tonimbuk Horse Trials from 2000 to 2013.

“That was a mammoth undertaking, but that wasn’t a one person job,” Helen said.

“Any volunteer job is never just a one person job – you’re part of a team. Pony club has remarkable people.”

It was through a friend involved in pony club that Helen heard Liberal Pakenham MP Rob McLellan was hiring an electorate officer.

“That was when I became really involved in the wider community and it opened my eyes to some of the issues.

“Some people you can help and some you can’t.“

After Mr McLellan’s retirement, Helen then served under Edward O’Donohue until his retirement last year.

“A Minister leaves a lot of the constituent issues to the electorate officer to decide which are really important [to follow up],” Helen said.

“You’re pretty responsible for deciding what’s really important is brought to his notice.

“Edward’s passion was within law enforcement and justice. He was the Shadow Attorney General when he retired.”

Helen said she enjoyed meeting people and trying to help them.

“So many people don’t understand the tiers of government, how government works,” she said.

“A lot of people just need directing.

“That’s what I liked, being able to assist people.”

Since 2003, Helen has also been a University of the Third Age (U3A) tutor in medieval history.

“My passion has always been medieval history,” she said.

“I love it.

“The organisation is just so worthwhile and volunteering has given tremendous amounts of satisfaction.”

Helen said she was shocked to have learnt of her OAM award.

“I think it’s extra special because it is a jubilee year,” Helen said.

“I don’t like to use the term humbling because I think it’s overworked but I am in awe of being nominated and receiving it.

“I hadn’t expected it whatsoever.”