2026 SDRQ Red Mile Muster & ASSA Nationals with Emily Vourlides

In this episode, we chat with Sled Dog Racing Queensland's President, Emily Vourlides and get the scoop on this year's 2026 SDRQ Red Mile Muster & ASSA Nationals. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:10

Today we are super excited to be talking to Emily Vladis from Sled Dog Racing Queensland. And first of all, welcome back. Thank you. Thanks for the invite. And um, yeah, good to be back.

SPEAKER_00 0:22

Thank you. I think you're one of our uh you were one of our first guests originally when we first started the podcast. So it's really, really cool to be back here again, um, especially before such a big event. Obviously, we're here to talk to you about the ASA National Championships that SDRQ is hosting very shortly. So very excited to have you. It's not too far away now, it's coming up quickly. I bet it's feeling very quick for you guys as well.

SPEAKER_01 0:46

Yeah, yeah, we're definitely.

SPEAKER_00 0:48

Um so to get us started, um, can you ref for those people uh that are listening that have never met you before or haven't listened to our previous episode, can you introduce yourself and just talk to us about how you started the sport?

SPEAKER_01 1:02

Yeah, um so 18 years ago now, I think I had to say to somebody the other day, which is a bit scary. Um so yeah, I started with a husky uh that I got when I was at uni who was uh decidedly destroying everything I owned, and I decided I need a job needed a job for her, so we we got involved and it wasn't the sport for her, but I enjoyed it um and it ended up with several more huskies. So yeah, we were we were there for a couple of generations of huskies through, and now I'm sort of into the hounds, DSPs, and Eurohounds, and yeah, we're still racing, but I'm one of the founding members and the president to date of Slow Dog Racing Queensland. So we started that in 2014, so um, that's been going for quite a while now, too. And yeah, this will be our first nationals event, but uh very excited.

SPEAKER_00 1:51

Yeah, brilliant. It's very exciting. Um, how many dogs are you at personally currently?

SPEAKER_01 1:58

Uh so I have four at the moment.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

Oh reasonable amount.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

Yeah. Yeah. We've got plans for later in the year, um, as soon as the season's over. But um, yeah, for now it's four.

SPEAKER_00 2:13

Yeah, nice. Yeah, lovely. Um uh talk to us very quickly about your um your committee from an SDRQ point of view. How many people? Because I thought it was a relatively tight-knit team that you're running there.

SPEAKER_01 2:25

Yeah, so it's a pretty sort of standard eight people committee. So we've got the four execs um and then three general committee. We do have a few really good helpers that aren't officially holding committee positions but are regularly helping us out with things like socials and even just um on the day logistics timing and you know, setting up, packing up, all that sort of thing. But we can always rely on them to sort of be there and helping us. So yeah, we got we got some good people.

SPEAKER_03 2:54

Yeah, so important to have those extra volunteers, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01 2:58

Yeah, yep. Definitely helps.

SPEAKER_00 3:00

Makes a massive, massive difference. Um uh so focusing on the big event. How long has this been on your radar for? When did SDRQ start planning nationals?

SPEAKER_01 3:12

We were thinking about putting in for the next Queensland round, which I think is still another, I want to say two years away, maybe three years away. But we sort of floated the idea of maybe putting our hand in to fill uh the gap that would normally be a New South Wales year, um, in the lack of a New South Wales club. So um, yeah, we we sort of spoke about it with the previous year's committee, and you know, a few of those were supportive. Um and then we also, once the new committee came in sort of uh October last year, we again sort of put put it out there and uh yeah, they were still still really keen. So we decided to put a put an application into ASAR, I suppose. But so yeah, thinking about it probably for a good sort of 18 months, but um planning in a hard sense, probably not till sort of later last year.

unknown 4:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 4:03

It's definitely, I think these kind of races, especially when you are hoping to uh get a lot of interstate travelers, I think a lot of people don't realise how much work goes into them and how early you start planning and even to commit to something like this. I know from like from when Wasser did it, it's even a big commitment because it often spans multiple committees. So you're committing to something that potentially you're not even some of your committee won't even be on board to make happen. So it's a decision.

SPEAKER_01 4:33

Yeah, so some of those people that were, you know, originally part of that decision, you know, aren't on the committee this year. But um they're still, you know, you'll see them at the start shoot timing and scribing and doing all sorts of stuff, probably. So um, yeah, so they're still around, but yeah, it's it's been a bit of a process and it's a bit tricky in Queensland for us at the moment with forestries and locations and things like that. It's been really hard the past few years, but uh we're pretty excited to be um back at the location that we've got. Um and yeah, we should should have a pretty good weekend lined up for everyone.

SPEAKER_00 5:07

Yeah, perfect. All right, I want to know talk to us about tracks. Are we so you guys have used this location before?

SPEAKER_01 5:15

Yeah, so we held Muster here a couple of years ago. So the location is at Thane's Creek, which is about 40 kilometers outside of Warwick, for those that know it. It's actually a rally car track. So it's sort of a clay sand surface. It's especially made for rally cars and drifting, so it's uh it's pretty wide, it's pretty clear. Um, it's got lots of big swooping corners, so it should be a really fast track generally. So it's some part, about half of it is sort of wooded, um, with like just natural native forest, and then the other parts actually are quite open. So you can stand up at the marshalling area on the dam wall and you can actually see sort of half the track and you can watch the teams going around.

SPEAKER_02 6:03

That's so pretty.

SPEAKER_01 6:06

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:07

Um do you have hills?

SPEAKER_01 6:11

I don't think they're hills. But apparently, my definition of hills doesn't match everybody's. But no, they're very small. Um there's a couple of little ups and downs, but like honestly, you'd be lucky if they were 20 meters long. Like they're very short. Um yeah, so nothing, nothing real steep or real long. It's all pretty much you'll go up and you'll come back down, and then it's all flat. Okay, nice. Yeah. The uh original plan, uh, which was another state forest, um, which unfortunately was getting logged the week that we needed it, it was extremely hilly. Um, but no, this one's very flat. Like I consider it a flat track. But if you uh want to be really specific, there's a couple of very small hills in there.

SPEAKER_00 6:59

Okay. Perfect. No, that bodes well for me in Canny Cross. So how was it that? Um so tell us, is there anything um new or different about your nationals that you're looking forward to um putting on for everybody?

SPEAKER_01 7:17

Not specifically new. I mean we for the past few years have run a relay as part of our nationals event, which happens on the Friday night. I'll probably just mention it because I think most people possibly, unless they've been there for it, don't possibly understand what we're doing there. But um, so yeah, we have a combined relay that we run on the Friday. So you can double up your relay with any other wheeled class if you're doing wheels in the relay, likewise with cannycross, I suppose, as well. Um, so it's a combined team, three people. Um, so it'll be a mass start canny cross, and we have metres and metres of space. So um it will be very safe. And then it's a 2.5 kilometer lap, and the mushers will return and they will tag their scooter partner. The scooter guys will go out, do their lap, which is also 2.5. They'll come back, tag their bike partner, um, and then that will do their 2.5 come back, and that'll be the final time. So we've got that one planned for the Friday night. So we're hoping that it would be great to have all the states represented. At the moment, we've got Queensland and Vic, and I think maybe a South Australia on board. So hopefully we'll see some from WA start to come in.

SPEAKER_03 8:30

Yeah, we'll be a WA. I think we're a bit slow in getting our entries in. We've been a lot of discussion about it on the ground over here.

SPEAKER_01 8:38

Yeah, so um we've decided we'll we approached ASA and we said, you know, like we know it's not a national title, but um, you know, we do this and it's really fun, and we think it would be cool to try and get other states doing it. Because I know overseas it's you know a really popular event and they do it by country, which obviously isn't something we can do very easily here, if ever. But it would be cool to, you know, even have, you know, a little bit of interstate uh rivalry, or even just you know, for fun if it's not in state v state. But um, yeah, so we've we spoke to ASA and we offered um to donate a perpetual for that one that will float around for any uh states that wish to jump on board and offer the relay. So that's kind of cool. Um and then I suppose the other big one is that we're bringing across Vicki Pullen from the UK as our race marshal. So we're pretty excited about that. Um, like Vicky has done every class imaginable. She's, you know, placed on the podium at World Champs, European champs in just about every class imaginable. She runs both Huskies and Eurohounds. She races on snow and dry land. So I think there's probably something for everyone. I don't think you could sort of look at her and say, oh no, she wouldn't have anything to offer me and what I do for racing. So I think she'll be a really well-rounded uh race marshal, and I'm sure she'll have a lot of awesome stories to share with us. But um, we're also on the Saturday Avo, she'll be holding a mushers workshop as well. So that'll be like a there'll be some talking, um, but there'll also be like an actual like physical workshop. Like we'll go out on track with scooters and dogs and stuff.

SPEAKER_03 10:20

And oh wow.

SPEAKER_01 10:21

Um yeah, she'll she'll hold a bit of a mentoring session for everyone that's entered in the muster, and yeah, so we're really excited about that too. And hope that people are as well. So I'm sure that will be awesome.

SPEAKER_03 10:34

Wow, that's a little coming over to Australia.

SPEAKER_01 10:38

Yeah. Yeah, so she was really excited when we reached out, and yes, she'll be I think she'll be awesome. I she's she's just a really lovely person. I think it'll be a lot of a lot of fun and great to have her on board for the event.

SPEAKER_00 10:50

That's really exciting. Wow. Um I'm very, very excited to listen to her, but um, yeah, sounds like she has a lot to um offer.

SPEAKER_01 10:59

Yeah, I think so.

SPEAKER_03 11:01

Um hockeys and towns, so uh perfect.

SPEAKER_00 11:09

Now, is there an a A and K C um element for your nationals?

SPEAKER_01 11:14

Uh yes, true. Uh yeah, so there will be um an A and K C race held uh at the same time, I suppose. So if you have A and KC registered dogs, uh sporting or associate registered dogs, and you're into A and K C races or you haven't had the opportunity but you'd like to, um you can enter the A and K C race as well. So those entries are up on Show Manager. You uh so I guess so. If you enter, for example, one dog, um, you'll run one dog once. And if you've entered both races, you'll get results for both races from that one run. So yeah, so you um yeah, you're not running multiple heats of one dog with different dogs, you're running one one dog race, but your results will count towards both of those. It does mean at the moment that um, you know, our bike drawers will have to sort of pick um because bike jaw canny cross aren't recognized classes for A and KC. So you can't, for example, um, enter a single dog in bike jaw and then enter the one dog A and KC because you'll be running two heats too close together. But you can do it with different dogs. So we'll run like a normal race. Um I guess probably the best way for people to think about it is a little bit like the World Cup res running World Cup races. So the people that entered in the World Cup, they'll get results for both the the ASA race and the World Cup race, but they'll only run one heat of whatever class they're in. So it's gonna be a very similar setup for the A and K C stuff.

SPEAKER_03 12:48

And just so it's clear in my hand, so do you you pay your A and K C fee for that and your your entry fee for nationals?

SPEAKER_01 12:58

Yeah, yeah. So there will be a separate um so the show the entries for A and K C are up on Show Manager. So I think you guys use Show Manager over there with most of your stuff anyway. Um so yeah, those are up on Show Manager. Um and you do, yeah, you'll enter that one separately. So the show manager form's very simple. There's no, you know, banquet or camping or anything on it, it's just the race. Um but all the other fancy stuff is on the Red Mile Master entry form. Um so yeah, you do have to enter both, you'll pay fees for both. They'll be awarded separately, um, as complete completely separate races. Um so yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:37

Oh, I'm very excited to hear that. Um I'm not entering my entries now. Uh we have it's something we have loosely taught about. We have an A and K C um sledding party, uh sled dog sports party in the NWA, and we've been talking about doing something like this, but we haven't managed to fine-tune how we could run a race that would apply to both, which sounds like it's exactly what you're doing. So it's very, very exciting.

SPEAKER_01 14:04

Yeah. Yeah, I think it should work. Yeah. A and KC racing is pretty new in Queensland, also. So we had our first one last year, and then we've basically put a full calendar on this year. So there's been five races. Um we've only had two so far. So yeah, we're pretty excited to try and get that side of the sport growing um here also. Um, and just bring in some new new faces and new dogs, and yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

Now awesome. And just remind me, the ANKC sweat dog classes, it's uh one dog scooter, two dog scooter, and then you read classes, is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 14:48

Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:50

Yeah, awesome. Well, I feel like I'm changing my entry, so I'm very excited. From what you've heard out and about in the world, do you uh expect a little bit of interstate travel from a few of the other states?

SPEAKER_01 15:02

Uh yeah, I think we're expecting every state at the moment, except as in Northern Territories. Um, which obviously, you know, isn't that surprising. But yeah, so we're I think we have at least every state represented by at least one person. So that's pretty cool.

SPEAKER_00 15:20

Um that is really cool.

SPEAKER_02 15:22

Yeah. Sorry, I'm just trying to I've got all these questions and I'm just like trying to process what I want to ask you first.

SPEAKER_03 15:33

Um I guess from a you know, mushrooms or uh who they kind of know what to expect, but um you mentioned you'd be able to see racing from a certain point. Is it like will spectators have that same vantage, I guess? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:51

Yeah. Uh yeah. So where will we set up a feather camping? It will actually be in a bit of a clear zone because it's sort of sandwiched right between the start chute and the finish chute. So there's uh there's a big dam which is quite empty at the moment, unfortunately. I mean it's not empty, but it's quite low. So there's a big dam in the middle of the camping area, um, and there's a dam wall that sort of runs around the outside edge of it, and that's sandwiched right between the start chute and the finish chute. Um, so that looks out over sort of the open part of the track. So there's sort of two or three loops of trail that um wind in and out of that area where people will be able to actually watch the teams sort of going around. So yeah, everyone can get to that area. So yeah, spectators, entrants, some entrants might be able to even see it from their camp. Um, but yeah, we will have a clear, a clear area between basically wherever those chutes start running out towards a track. We don't want people camped along the the sides of the chutes.

SPEAKER_03 16:54

Yeah, it's not often that you can get to see people out on the trail racing. Like as you start, finish, that's it.

SPEAKER_01 17:01

Yeah, yeah, it's pretty cool. We were out there this weekend and uh we had we had an A and K C race out there. It wasn't actually supposed to be there, but we had to cancel the original location because of temperatures. Um but we managed to get a couple runs in down there and you can see them running around and we had night heats this weekend, but they won't be at Muster. Um and you can see the lights sort of running around in the field somewhere else. It's it's pretty cool to watch them go around. We don't, yeah, like you said, we don't normally get to do that. Yeah, cool. Once they disappear into the trees.

SPEAKER_00 17:32

Yeah. Um now a little bit more of a boring question, but um was about facilities at the event. Do we have uh do we have toilets?

SPEAKER_01 17:44

There's to yes, there's toilets. Uh so it's it they are Portaloo's, but there are lots of toilets. There's rubbish bins, um, there's bottle recycling. There are a couple of showers, um, but they are just a short drive up to the main house. So it's probably, I don't know, four, four hundred metres or so. So you could walk up there if you don't, you know, mind the walk at the end of the night or afternoon. But otherwise, yeah, it's a quick trip in the car up there. There's no power, but our generators are permitted. So um, we'll just ask people to sort of kind of turn those off by about eight-ish. So, you know, anyone wanting to sleep can do that.

SPEAKER_05 18:27

Um anyone wanting to sleep, do you have a problem?

SPEAKER_01 18:30

Well, you know. Um, so yeah, I know, you know, especially teams and that, we'll have early mornings um getting up to hydrate dogs and stuff. So, you know, we'll just ask people to get them turned off by a reasonable time. And there isn't running water. So they the property is on uh tank water, so um, we will ask people to please be conservative with their showers so that they don't run out of water over the weekend. But yeah, um, otherwise there are showers up there and we can have fires provided we're not in a fire ban at the time, which we won't know till it gets there. But I can't imagine that we will be. We shouldn't be at that time of year anyway, unless something real extreme happens. But uh yeah, and we can have um yeah, so fire pits and raised pits would be best. Um but we will have one. There is one big fire pit which will be um close to the sort of marshalling area in the main gazebos, so we'll have that one stocked up too. Um and there's unlimited firewood, so don't worry about bringing firewood or buying firewood. Probably might want to bring a little chainsaw if you have one, like a little battery one or something, but we will have chainsaws there too that will chop up stuff if people don't.

SPEAKER_03 19:48

Lovely! Very sounds like the marshmallows must get packed. I think so. Um how many nationals have you been to, Emily?

SPEAKER_01 20:00

Um I've been to four, I think.

SPEAKER_03 20:07

Okay.

SPEAKER_05 20:08

Yeah. How many have you been to Jamelia? Hang on, I'm gonna have to care.

SPEAKER_00 20:17

Not well, technically two of mine were in WA and one of them was my very first year in the sport, so I was there, but I didn't appreciate it.

SPEAKER_05 20:25

Um I think maybe f I think four. I think so.

SPEAKER_00 20:33

Um yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Four because I've done oh no, maybe five. I've done two two in South Australia. So five. Um and I'm hoping we had a little bit of a last-minute hiccup, but I'm very much hoping to make this one as well. Um this will, if everything goes to plan, um this will be my first nationals trip that is not a gun it straight to nationals, gun it straight back. Um it will be a gun it straight back, but I'll have a little bit more time on the way there. Um, hopefully, fingers crossed.

SPEAKER_03 21:08

I have a question, I guess, then for both of you. Um so because we've all done a few nationals, and I imagine there'll be some first timers. Hopefully there'll be some first timers. What is one thing experienced competitors know that first-time national competitors usually learn the hard way?

SPEAKER_05 21:35

Or I've got something.

SPEAKER_00 21:37

Hopefully they don't learn it the hard way, ideally. But I think at any race, but especially in nationals, the timelines are so strict. Don't be late to anything, don't be late to the race meeting, don't be late to the start line, just really m like over prepare, get everywhere early. Because there's there's just a lot of people to organize and the race officials have enough to keep an eye on. If if you're late, too bad. In my Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 22:11

Yeah, I think that's probably a good one. Um But I think it for us, maybe a timely one might be um a really good gear check um and maybe some spare supplies, bike tubes, spare lights, extra batteries, all that kind of fun stuff. Um we've had a few people caught out lately with broken gear or malfunctioning gear. Um so yeah, probably, yeah, definitely it's quite a way away from any sort of supplies that are going to be open on the weekend. You're probably looking at driving back to Toowoomba. Um, there's not much in Warwick. Um, so that's probably a good hour plus away, hour and a half-ish. Back to Toowoomba if you, you know, need something like that.

SPEAKER_03 23:03

Um so yeah. Just make sure you merged the hard way that we should have packed an extra helmet.

SPEAKER_00 23:10

I was just about to say perhaps a spare helmet, Nourell.

SPEAKER_03 23:14

Yeah. Wasn't me, but yes, spare helmet. And obviously not really paying attention or knowing where we were to go to a shop that was open on a Saturday. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:25

Um yeah, well.

SPEAKER_03 23:28

Yeah, spare helmet.

SPEAKER_02 23:30

It's a good idea.

SPEAKER_00 23:32

That's a good one. I think, yeah, it's such an important thing to know, especially for anybody racing anywhere, but especially if you're traveling a long way. Um, it's just it is far cheaper. Also in the long run, like gear only lasts a certain amount of time anyway. It is so much cheaper in the long run to have spares of everything so that nothing breaking is gonna send you on a three-hour drive to go and find something.

SPEAKER_03 23:59

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:02

It's okay to overpack. Yeah. Especially me coming from WA.

SPEAKER_00 24:10

Yeah. Yeah, no, it's a long way. Um, on that note, I'll add for anybody doing an extremely long drive. Um, if you message line out, I have pre-prepared a playlist that is currently sitting at 125 hours long that can get you from one side of the country to the um back with no replays. Ah, nice. And I've spent a long time. That's about an eight-year project. So, you know, come to me for all your road tripping requirements. Right. Nice. Um, Emily, is there anything else you would like to add about your uh nationals? Anything you're excited about or you've not mentioned yet?

SPEAKER_01 24:47

I guess probably just a heads up for people. The reception's a little bit limited. There is actually a really nice patch of 5G at the finish chute if you're a Tel shoe customer. If you're anybody else, I'm sorry, yeah. No, no, it's not happening. But yeah, there is actually a couple of patches of um Tel Shu reception there, but other than that, it is fairly limited. You can jump up again to the top of the hill where the house is and the showers are. There is reception up there. If you really need to call somebody or, you know, jump on Facebook, whatever it is you want to do.

SPEAKER_00 25:19

How far north of the New South Wales border is this?

SPEAKER_01 25:23

Warwick, probably two-ish hours.

SPEAKER_00 25:30

Okay. Nice. I'm actually excited. This is officially my first time in Queensland. Okay, yep. I've never been to Queensland at all before, so I'll be taking a touristy photo on the on the borderline.

SPEAKER_01 25:43

Yep. Um, yeah, and do you know which do you know which route you plan to come up?

SPEAKER_00 25:48

Yeah, I haven't got that far yet.

SPEAKER_01 25:54

Oh, I like um like the inland route, like through Dubbo, but probably the New England it will bring you straight up through um Stanthorpe, Tenerfield Stanthorpe, and then Warwick. Um, so a bit more direct. Um it's a pretty horrible drive from Gunduindi cutting back into to Warwick, um, especially if you hit it in the afternoon just because of the ruse. But the New England's pretty good. I don't mind it. Um I think you'd probably branch off not about not too far after Dubbo, you'd branch off and sort of cut across into Grafton and come up through the the middle of the coast and the inland route.

SPEAKER_00 26:37

But I'm not quite sure coming through uh South Australia, which yeah we head up to Broken Hill, sort of or this time I my goal is to go through uh Mildra and Vic and then up that way. I did go through Broken Hill last time, but I preferred the the route where I mean you're only in Victoria for like 300 metres, not very long at all, but yeah, uh I found the roads a little bit better that way. But this was 20 when NEGRC had their nationals, was that 2013? 23? Um uh yeah, so I don't know if anything's changed in the last three years, but that's my plan. However, I do have a I think most of the WA crew coming over. Um we have a ASLA point score race the this weekend coming, and then then there's NEGRC, then there's your race. Um, and I think a lot of us are planning to do that um connection. Um so it's a fairly tight time frame to get over there in. Yep. Yeah. Uh so yeah, we'll see. May cut that route. We may have to go through Broken Hill if I'm running short on daylight hours. That's right.

SPEAKER_03 27:56

I think I liked about Broken Hill, if I can remember, that it had a good dog park that we could throw. It was dark.

SPEAKER_01 28:05

So talk to Yeah, if any if anyone wants um, I have a map made up of dog parks along next to the state route. So if anyone andor unofficial dog parks that we just take over. Yeah. Um so if anyone wants access to that, send me a message and I'll send you the link. It'd be a bit lacking past South Australia, but um yeah, it's pretty good at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_00 28:31

Lovely. And if anybody has any last-minute questions for the club before the big day, what's the best way for them to get in contact with you?

SPEAKER_01 28:39

Um, probably email or Facebook. So jump um, yeah, jump on our Facebook, send a message, or yeah, send us through an email. Um it's probably the best ways. Um, I can get a bit bombarded in my personal Facebook messages sometimes, and I forget to get back to things. So probably not the best way to get the club, but yeah, either of those two is pretty good. We've I think entries we're keeping open till the 29th will be the absolute latest, but that will be with late fees applied, and then uh the 26th will be close for the last of not late entries. We've got uh we've got a coffee van there for the weekend. We've they do have F post, but with the phone reception, I'm just not sure how that will go. So you may want to, if you're into coffee, you may want to have a little bit of cash on you. And we'll also be doing bake bacon and egg brekkie rolls um in the mornings um for those that just don't have time to cook. And then yeah, we've got the mushers banquet and uh that on Saturday evening, which will be a a roast, a couple of different roast meats, veggies, salads, and dessert. So, yeah, that's all on the entry form too. If you you want to opt in to the banquet, make sure you pick uh select that one so that we know for numbers. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 30:02

Brilliant very exciting. I'm I love um I love racing and I love meeting people and all we do with the dogs, but like a warm meal is high on my list.

SPEAKER_01 30:12

Yeah. Especially when you don't have to cook.

SPEAKER_03 30:16

Yeah. So not cheese and crackers, Jamelia.

SPEAKER_00 30:19

If I can get away with not having cheese and crackers for a night, I will take it.

SPEAKER_03 30:23

Probably coming close to the end. But imagine at the end of the event, what would have you say that that is a successful event or what would you want people to take away from your event?

SPEAKER_01 30:33

I just yeah, I just want really want people to have a nice good weekend of racing. Uh I feel like yeah, we we're generally a pretty supportive club. Uh, we don't mind sort of hanging around the the finish shoot and cheering everyone on. So I'd really love people to get involved with the relay. It's just so much fun. I know there's probably a few people that are a bit unsure about that. But if you've already done an entry and you change your mind after listening to this, then just send us a message. We can we can adjust your entry. Yeah, really just hope that everyone has a great weekend. Hopefully, we have some excellent temperatures. Um, and we can show people that there's good racing to be had that's not necessarily in the southern states. And because I think, yeah, we kind of get overlooked a little bit that, you know, the temps aren't good and this and that.

SPEAKER_00 31:25

We uh talk about you guys all the time, um, but we do really love the Queensland people over here in WA. I feel like we're both um we're very, very similar, even though we're on opposite sides of the country. And uh I do I think we mesh together very well as two different states.

SPEAKER_01 31:42

Yeah, yeah, I think so too. Yeah, I think it's it should be a good it should be a great weekend. Um sometimes I think we're a bit lucky in Queensland because we don't usually touch wood, um, have wet winters.

SPEAKER_03 31:54

So Yeah, I'm just wondering that actually.

SPEAKER_01 31:57

Yeah, so it you know they are saying it's supposed to be fairly dry this year, um, after we've just had a week of rain, but it it is dry drying out a lot this year. So hopefully we should have nice clear days, nice cold mornings. Um yeah, weekend of uh Northern Vic we had uh negative one at our race, so we we did pretty well there. We never know, but hope we're we're fingers crossed for some great weather and some great racing.

SPEAKER_00 32:27

Um well I'm feeling all excited now. I'm gonna go in uh I need to sort out um I need to do some discussions to uh sort out the rest of our relay team, but I'm gonna get that entry in ASAP. And I think I've changed, I'm changing my entries now in my mind. I need to do some retigging. Um but uh thank you very, very much for speaking to us, Emily. We really, really appreciate your time. Thank you so much. All right.

SPEAKER_01 32:50

No, thank you for the invite and look forward to seeing you guys in a few weeks' time at uh the Northern Challenge and then of course at Muster.

SPEAKER_00 32:59

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 33:00

I'm flying in.

SPEAKER_03 33:04

Maybe we call it the rock star treatment. Yeah, I think that's what that's what it's been called. Yeah. So I'm excited because I missed the end of school.

SPEAKER_01 33:16

Are you guys the school holidays a week behind?

SPEAKER_03 33:19

Or yeah, so our school holidays start your Saturday. Oh, okay. Wow, yeah, okay. It's the middle fast. But yeah. Um super excited that uh it was approved.

SPEAKER_00 33:33

My my leave still hasn't been approved, and I was I'm going whether I'm coming back to this job or not. All righty, thank you very, very much, Emily. Um, hope you have a good resting night, and we will see you very shortly.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

Yeah, thank you too. See you soon. Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 33:53

Bye.

SPEAKER_01 33:53

Bye.