Peter Hodge will again bring his camels to this year’s expo for rides.
Photo by
Rodney Braithwaite
Peter Hodge has been operating his camel rides for more than 30 years and is coming to the Seymour Alternative Farming Expo for the 14th time.
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He delights in his camels all being unique.
“They are all different in character and personality,” Peter said.
“Bam-Bam is the cheeky one and he’s the boss of the paddock.
“They are placed in order on the rides for one reason or another.”
Bam-Bam leads the team, with Sid in the middle due to his reliability, and 20-year-old Pretty Boy taking up the rear due to his placid nature.
Peter obtained his camels from the wild and raised them to become domesticated on his 33ha camel farm at Cosgrove.
“For example, Sid came wild from outside Narrabri in north-eastern NSW.
“But camels can be tamed and taught to quieten down quite quickly.”
Peter’s expertise is founded on making his camels’ health and happiness a priority.
Consideration is given to the amount of weight his ‘caravan’ of hard workers lifts.
“We make sure our camels are not put under any stress, by using a loading platform for riders to mount and dismount safely.”
The walking style of camels brings some interesting feedback from riders.
“They say the camels are lumpy and bumpy,” Peter said.
“Because they walk like a pacer horse, with legs on each side moving together, they rock from side to side; it’s why they are called the ships of the desert.
“It’s what people like about the ride; besides, you’re eight feet [2.4m] up in the air.”
Peter Hodge leads a camel rides at a previous expo.
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