Brien Cobcroft.

This story about Brien Cobcroft, and the Cobcroft family was sent to me by Jenny Cobcroft, from "Parraweena".  Without doubt, the Cobcroft family have been one of the most successful families who have lived in the district and took up land from the A.A.Co. warrah estate subdivisions. The core Parraweena blocks were part of the 1923 subdivision. Brien's father Gavin Cobcroft purchased blocks 12, 13, 14, and 15 from that subdivision in 1932.

As most would know, Brien Cobcroft won a bronze medal at the Mexico Olympics.

By Jenny Cobcroft.

The main part of “Parraweena” (approx. 7,700 acres) was purchased by the Cobcroft family in 1932, with the balance, Telegherry (3000 acres) purchased in 1936.

The main section of “Parraweena Highlands”, was purchased by the Cobcroft family on the 18^th December, 1972.   The two Warrah Creek lots Chesney Oaks and Warrah Vale were added in 1987, to give a total area of approximately 13,000 acres.

Brien was born in 1934 and his brother John in 1938.  In Brien’s words........ –

 “ my parents had me on a horse long before I could walk – and from that moment horses were my main priority.   After years of riding and chasing cattle here on Parraweena, I had my first run in a camp draft at Wingen when I was about 14 years old.  In those days we would ride our horses from home to where ever and ride home again gathering a lot of experience on the way.   As the years passed (by this time we had a truck) I was lucky enough to win a lot of championship camp drafts including two NSW titles and the Australian Championships in 1961.   In the off season I played A Grade polo with my brother John, Sinclair Hill, and the late Ken Mackay from Dungog – we won a lot of tournaments including  most of the majors.   In 1961, the late Murray Bain, my father and Bill Hyem talked me into having a go for the Three Day Event team that would be competing at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.   Luck has it – I made the team and four years later in 1968 competed in the Mexico Olympics winning a bronze medal.” 

Brien grew up at “Parraweena”, attending the Shore School in Sydney, then jackarooing on properties at Dirranbandi, where he thrived on the horseback stock work. Back home at Willow Tree in the mid 1950’s he competed in camp drafting events and won the open camp draft event a the Quirindi Show for 11 years running and as he stated, he won two State Championships and the Australian championship.

As he mentioned, a taste for polo developed and he and his brother John formed a Willow Tree team with Sinclair Hill and Ken Mackay, quickly becoming almost unbeatable at the major events on the national circuit. 1962 marked his entry into three day eventing – the sport at which he would achieve international fame. His early coaching came from Bill Hyem of Kibah Station, Gunnedah, winning him selection two years later for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, where his team finished in 13^th place.

At the Mexico Olympics, four years later he won the bronze medal with team members Bill and Wayne Roycroft and James Scanlan. His horse was Depeche, a six year- old gelding he spotted at Wyong racecourse (where it ran second last) and bought for 600 pounds, turning it into a champion eventer in just three months. Depeche was the youngest horse to ever represent Australia at an Olympic Games.

The final phase of his equine love affair began in the early 1980’s when he discovered the western horse sport of Cutting – a sport demanding expert riding skills and also fine coordination between horse and rider.  It was tailor-made for somebody of his abilities and he was soon intimately involved, both as a competitor and a breeder.    In 2001 he was inducted in the Non Pro Hall of Fame – he was at that stage the 10^th leading non pro rider in Australia having won a string of Non Pro events in the 1980’s and 90’s which include Futurity and Derby Championships.  He also represented Australia four times in the USA/Australia Teams Challenge.

There would be few horsemen, if any, in Australia today, who have competed in so  many different disciplines and reached the upper levels of competition as this man.

For his many years of equestrian sports input, Brien Cobcroft was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, received from Prime Minister, John Howard.

There is a lovely photo and information tribute to Brien hanging in the entrance way to the "Gateway Coffee shop" at Willow Tree.

Brien passed away in July 2010, aged 75. His brother John passed away in 2005.