Sulkies and Harness New and Old

[arlington]

G'day Wayne,

these were known as "Freebairn" wheels and tyres in NSW, and they were an extremely good wheel/tyre set, could withstand more knocks than the average set, performed REALLY well in loose conditions, and for reason unknown to myself dissappeared sometime in the late eighties/early ninties. BTW, we had an all hickory bike ( actually drove my first 20 or so winners in it in the 70's) and it was one lovely cart, with it's freebairn wheels and my youthful 55 kg frame I guarantee you the horses thought they were on their own out there!!

Come on Dan, still looking youthful and... in that invitational at Menangle I can only remember they referred to the wheels, or tyres, as singles down here. I always wanted a hickory bike, but couldn't afford a Royal Speed as a young fella. Yep those hickory sulkies, and set up, were light. The Conways, Toddway Lodge, used to put one up as a prize at the Hopetoun Show. Harder than the Hunter Cup to win.

This bit's for Noel, on the subject of sulkies. Do you know the name of the fellow that made the Hamill sulkies (assuming his name wasn't Hamill) in Kangaroo Flat. Pretty sure they weren't far from what's now Lansell Plaza, on the opposite side.

[Adaptor]

It was Wes Hammill.
They were made from spotted gum with usually a stained finish with green and gold hand painted lines.
Over the creek past Harvey Norman on the left as you come into Bendigo from the south. It's all housing around there now.
At one stage Wes had a Cobb and Co coach in the workshop.

[arlington]

It was Wes Hammill.
They were made from spotted gum with usually a stained finish with green and gold hand painted lines.
Over the creek past Harvey Norman on the left as you come into Bendigo from the south. It's all housing around there now.
At one stage Wes had a Cobb and Co coach in the workshop.

Thanks Noel. I bought my first sulky from Wes. Mine is blue and gold. I think he made red/gold as well as the green. I only remember giving Wes a ring to order, then met him picking it up. Still have it hanging in the shed, in pretty good nic. Unfortunately, as you alluded to, the shafts were replaced after a bingle. Wes did the repairs, still nicely painted but the original shafts, which were 'squared' in cross section, were replaced by round types.
A little of topic now but I'd had thoughts of giving the original dust sheet a run around. Thinking back to when drivers would use the cane to hit the shafts or dust sheet, with the noise encouraging a horse. Often more successful than tapping them on the rump. Yep the word cane sounds harsh, and perception was such, but often horses would come back in without a hair ruffled.