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Snickers riding miles

By Sandra Jephcott

Let’s soar together! Help me raise funds to keep the Flying Doctor flying.

Help keep the Flying Doctor flying! I’m raising funds so the Royal Flying Doctor Service can respond at a moment’s notice for people living, working, and travelling in remote, rural and regional areas in Australia.

Last year alone, the RFDS reached more than 330,000 Australians with 24-hour emergency retrieval and primary health care. That’s one person every two minutes!

The Flying Doctor is always on call to help and save lives, and that’s why I’m asking you to chip in to and help the RFDS to provide the finest care to the furthest corner.

I have personally been a recipient of RFDS excellent medical servicve twice from Surat in Qld to Toowoomba Base Hospital. The events were 12 months apart but it was the same nurse on both flights and she remembered me!

Go on. Please donate now towards my fundraiser, and let’s see how high our tally can fly.

Thank you Alayne Willcocks

Thank you very much for your donation

Timing for more riding miles

I sarted thr fund raising page in Mayb2025 because of my trail ride with Snickers at Easter but I really won't get going with it until June through October when I am doing the Miles getting Snickers fit & doing endurance rides & trail rides. Please follow me & donate what you can afford for tjis amazing mefical service that services rural & regional Australia saving lives & providing essential medical services. Rural & regional areas are the hood howl of Australia

Continuing my riding

I started this page in May as I did a trail ride at Easter but I will continue getting Snickers fit & doing endurance rides & trail rides from June to October 2025 do jerp watching & donate what you can to this great Austrslian service

Start of training Snickers

Geoff Reilly brought myself, 2 dogs and 2 horses from home near Warwick to Geoff's property, 'Lennie Brae', near Condamine. On Monday I rode the horses 25.4km shifting two mobs of sters on to oats. On Tuesday I rode 10.3km mustering two mobs of calves into the yards to draft off the weaners and for me to pregnancy test 170 cows. Today I rode 4.6km puttiing cattle out & cutting out some cows. So far this weeks I have ridden 40.3km for spnsorship. Thank you

self donation

I will aim to roughly ride 100km per week so I will donate $100 a week to RFDS

Tuimeline posted 8/6/25 after first week of training Snickers

Easter -   18km with Beaudesert Trail ride at Killarney
2/6            25.1km shiftimg steers on to oats
3/6           10.3km weaning muster 
4, 5, 6 /6   16.2 km checking weaner mums
7 & 8/6      22,4km putting weaner mums out to better paddocks
I am aiming to do 100km a week but for the first week of June this only adds up to 74km. However, we floated the horses from Warwick to Condamine on Sunday 1/6 so 4 hours in a float is equivalent to 26km making it 100km!

June week2 training Snickers

Have made my weekly donation of $100. Am doing a long ride this afternoo and tomorrow so will update my weekly km pn Sunday morning. The photo was taen yesterday afternoon with some cows and calves, We forgot to take a picture of me taking the weaner mums to  good paddock on the river & putting the weaners out so this is the closest we got!

June week 2 miles

Have reduced my weekly mileage to 50km as life and its essential activities get in the way. This week:
Mon I was at Surat preg testing for a client so didn't ride
Tues 3km pon Snickers
Wed 4km Processed and put weaners out & took Snickers for an extra trot
Thurs Rode 5km with Snickers
Fri 12km Rode Snickers around the perimeter of a wheat paddock
Sat Rode 26km Snickers from 'Lennie Brae' owned by Geoff Reilly & where I am helping which cattle work to Arubial Rd. En route I passed Wagyu cows on feed owned by Morgans of Arubial Wagyu Stud

Stil self donate $100/week

Even though I have reduced my weekly miles to 50km, I will still donate $100 & increase it to $2/km

Massive thank you

Thank you very much to my 13 sponsors so far, plus me making 14 so it is not unlucky, We have raised over $2000 for RFDS and another two weeks to go to the endurance ride  plus ad hock trail rides until November. Thanks again for keeping RFDS flying & rescuing idiots like me & many much better people. This was my latest accident - compound fracture of ankle, broke fibuula in two places, 2 weeks in hospital, 6 weeks on knee scooter, 6 wks on scrutches, It was Lifeflight not RFDS that airlifted me this time but they all provide a great service.

rode around a wheat paddock

I didn't realise RFDS site does not take videos so will have to a photo tomorrow. Snickers is getting fitter as he wanted to canter all the way today

Thank you Maryanne

A huge thank you to my friend in Florida. She has sent s donation all the way from USA altjough she obviously  does not benefit from RFDS.Matysnne & I first met in 1981 at Morven Park International Equestrisn Institute,Leesburg, Virginia. Since then, I have visited her jn USA & she has been to Austrslia twice. She has been very successful with her Morgsn horses and I am riding a Rocky Mountsin. Both horse breeds from USA. When I get on my laptop willpost a photo of Maryanne & I

Western wheat paddock, Lennie Brae, Condamine

I have now done 3 rides around this paddock. If you just trot arpund the perimeter it is about 16km but today I added 4km but trotting up and back the farm road & doing each side individually so did 20km. Took photos this time, mot a video!

Absence!!??

Apologies for the lack of updates. I am currently in transit (sort of) and without a laptop. Will put a blog of my ride at Allora yesterday on Thursday 26th and after the endurance ride st Southbrook on 28th

Riding at Allora

Picture was upright when it was in my folder but flipped when I osted it. Just turn your heads!!! Snickers is now at Allora closer to where I do the endurance ride at Southbrook near Toowoomba on Saturday.

Toowoomba Endurance Ride Southbrook

We completed the 20km endurance ride today & Snivkers passed both pre-ride and post-ride vet check with flying colours. Heart rate was way down, due to great training (!?), and he was given A for all health parameters like gut sounds, muscle, movement, condition, hydration etc. Snickers was great to ride over the 20km & didn't it with ease. We f I'd it in 2 hours which is the minimum time you are allowed to do it in.

At start of Southbrook ride

Correction for typing error in last post...''Snickers did the 20k. Endurance ride with ease'

End of 20km ride

Snickers passing through the gate at the end of 20km at Southbrook Sports Club

Big thank you

Thank you very much for all your donations supporting RFDS.  I am nearly at my goal & I have another 4 months of riding to go (if my.legs hold up)!!! As one of my friends I worked with at Stsnbroke Pastoral Company, said  'thank uou to RFDS for keeping Ssndi alive & mobile.'

Thank you to members of iconic band Two Tone Pony

Two Tony Pony (twotonepony.com) is a relatively new band but its members are all highly experienced talented musicians independently, They are my favourite band due to their music, the stories their songs tell and the clarity so you can hear the words and understand their songs. They also have a real community feel as their wives and relations travel with them or meet up where they are playing. Three of the band members, David Kirkpatrick, Ian Rhodes and Greg Richardson, have generously sponsored me and donated to RFDS. I encourage you to listen to their music and you wil;l be hooked! Thank ypu Two Tone Pony.

Hip Pocket Endurance Ride Southbrook

Snickers completed the 20km endurance ride with ease. They had a professional photographer, Sarah Sullivan  Photography, on the track. This is a photo of me riding with another competitor

Early July

Since Snicker's wonderful job of completing the endurance ride with ease  ( much easier than me (!), I have been busy chasing cows in cattle yards at Condamine, so Snickers is having a bit of a spell but freezing at Warwivk. I will be back at it doing trail rides from August to November so.please keep the fonatipns coming as I have upped the ante & made my goal $10,000 for this wonderful cause.

Next 4 months - need to raise another $3000

I have been back on Snickers and started training him again. I was going to go to the Murumba Endurance Ride at Woodford this w/e but weather turned foul & I am not that dedicated to go for a fun ride in the wind & rain. I am now training Snickers at my family cattle property near Warwick where this photo was taken. As I am not going to Woodford, I will do a 20km ride somewhere in the Southern Downs. Over Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec I will do 5 trail rides in the Scenic Rim and 2 trail rides in NSW, one at Glen Innes and one at Woodenbong. I have jusy self donated over $300 so hopefully some of you can match it so I can get to my $10,000 for RFDS before December 2025

rode Snickers 16km from Maydan Wagyu Feedlot to Hendon

I have ridden to and from two prominent Wagyu Feedlots - 1. June 2025 Arubial Wagyu Stud owned by Laird Morgan who also owns Lillyvale Feedlot. All in the Cpondamine District. 2. August 2025 Maydan Wagyu Feedlot owned by Hancock Agriculture near Bony Mountain in the Allora District

Another break but 'I'll be back'

I have just put Snickers in the paddock as I am heading down to South Australia to look at a Bush Heritage property near Cooper Pedy. I then come back to Toowoomba for a good griend's 80th before I head out to Condamine to help a friend with some cattle work. I will get back into trail riding from mid - September. My October activities include going to the NSW Trail Riding Rendezvous 5 day camp near Glen Innes. Thank you very much for all your donations. Hopefully more people will get inspired and generous later in the year  when Snickers and I are on the road again!!!

Self donation

I am not just expecting everybody to dig into their pockets. Up until now I have sponsored myself for putting up with the pain (!) with over $1200 for RFDS. 

Please help me reach my goal

Raised

$9,208

My Goal

$10,000

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$64
$102
$156
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My impact

So far, my fundraising could help…

Provide a full range of life saving medication such as sedatives, pain relief and antibiotics so the Flying Doctor can be ready for 279 emergency situations.

Send 143 life saving-medical chest to remote communities

Provide one on one counselling to 90 outback Australians during a difficult time

Purchase 59 pieces of equipment that could include ventilators, defibrillators and infusion pumps which are used on board flights

Thank you to my supporters

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$1,000

Robert Lawrence

Don't forget the aeroguard.

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$520

Jonathan & Jane

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$520

D J Leahy Investments Pty Ltd

A wonderful organisation to support Sandi & you definitely know first hand All the best

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$500

Jane O'sullivan

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$500

Jmh

Awesome effort Sandi and Snickers, enjoy the various locations and the natural beauty to be absorbed during each journey.

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$420

John And Gwen Lyons

Good job Sandi. Happy to help towards the RFDS

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$420

Sandra Jephcott

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$342.88

Sandra Jephcott

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$316.50

Anonymous

All the best Sandi glad your still here thanks to RFDS

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$263.75

Sandy And Bill Harbison

Fantastic effort Sandi, for such a wonderful cause that has kept you alive on a couple of occasions .Very pleased that the leg is obviously operating quite well now and enabling you to do so much riding .Keep up the good work .

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$250

Peter & Margaret Titley

Great cause Sandi and great effort.

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$211

Karen Richter

Great idea Sandi. Good luck. Hope to see you next Easter at Killarney.

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$211

Alice H

Great cause. Good luck Sandi!

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$211

Heather Atherton

Enjoy the ride Sandi XXX

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$211

Susie Latimer

Such a great fundraising intuitive Sandi. RFDS is such a worthy cause. Good luck!

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$211

Rita Uechtritz

You are a living legend Sandi Jephcott

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$211

Michael Mcgowan

What a wonderful thing you are doing Sandi. Would like to do a fund raising ride with you in the future. Very best wishes Michael

OUTBACK HERO DONATION

$164.58

David Kirkpatrick

$108.18

Teys Australia Condamine

$108.18

Phil Lambert

$108.18

Sandra Jephcott

$108.18

Belinda Edwards

Good onya Sandy, great cause!

$108.18

Kelly Conley

Fantastic work Sandi!

$108.18

Geoff Reilly

A great service

$108.18

Geoff Niethe

Great Work

$108.18

John Thomas

$108.18

Maureen Albion

Go Sandi 🐎

$106.12

James Susie Milson

$106.12

Sandra Jephcott

$106.12

Esmae Taylor

$105.73

Annabelle Brayley

Good for you Sandi! Ride well!

$105.73

Alice & Rick Greenup

Good on you Sandi.

$103.72

Kath Scholtes

Thanks to RFDS for keeping Sandi upright!

$102

Greg Richardson

Good on you Sandi, a great cause.

$100

J&s Stafford

$95.90

Sandra Jephcott

I rode Snickers 18km over Easter week-end 2025 with Beaudesert Trail Riding Club on Beirnie Brosnan's property near Killarney

$80.25

Margaret Whip

$68.87

Bindy Lasker

$68.87

Kallangur Veterinary Surgery

Well done Sandi. All the best for a good ride.

$68.87

Sonya Sloan

Good luck Sandi!!. Great cause too!.

$64

Cate Thomas

Love the RFDS & so glad they played a role in keeping you on this planet Sandi! Happy to sponsor you......

$54.12

John Thomas

$54.12

Alayne Willcocks

$54.12

Karen Meredith-thomas 💐

Sandi, good on you for doing this . stay well and ontop of that gorgeous horse hugz ❤️xx

$54.12

Stephanie Commens

We have also had to use the RFDS and rural areas they are vital

$54.12

Simon Stevenson

$52.92

Lee Taylor

All the best Sandi (and Snickers). Keep up the great work.

$36.27

Maryann

Hope this will go thru Sandi, trying to donage from Florida, USA!

$36.27

Tracy Sullivan

$36.27

Penelope Mcgown

Well done Sandi. I admire your commitment to keep on challenging yourself. Enjoy the trail riding. .

$36.27

Ian Rhodes

Go Sandi, my uncle used to be a RFDS pilot in the 1950s. An absolutely essential service. Bon chance from this ex Pony Cheers Ian