Royal Hub-capping?

Royal Hub-capping?

Featured Image: The then Governor General her Excellency Quentin Bryce at the opening of the Australian Stock Horse National Championships at White Park, Scone during my term of office as Councillor on the Upper Hunter Shire Council 2008 – 2012. I think it was about 2010?

Dame Quentin Bryce is about to shake my hand while my spouse Sarah and Councillor Pam Seccombe line up on my immediate right. Also in the picture are local NSW State Member for Upper Hunter; the Honourable George Souris MP and his spouse Vassie. I think this was about as close as I ever became to ‘Royal Hub-capping’?

The venue at White Park is where the 120 mounted Olympic Horsemen and women had trained for the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000.

Little did Dame Quentin Bryce realise she had already met my son Hugh? When she was Warden of Women’s College, Sydney University my son was Senior Student at the intimately located St Pauls College for men. It was traditional for the senior student to race naked at midnight around the quadrangle embracing both Colleges at the Annual College Dinner in July. Guess what? Warden Bryce was entertaining Margaret and Goff Whitlam plus then Police Commissioner Peter Ryan and Mrs Ryan for dinner. They emerged just as Hugh was navigating the Women’s College piazza! It’s a long story of restitution!