Albany Equestrian Centre now shines bright for riders after the installation of new lighting inside and outside the arena

The installation of new indoor arena lighting has been eight years in the making for the Albany Equestrian Centre but the lengthy project has been worth the wait for riders around the Great Southern. Eight years ago the centre got a quote for the lights for $50,000, which at the time also included a power supply upgrade. But the group did not have the finance to proceed with the major project. In time the development of LED lights that draw less power meant the AEC did not need the power supply upgrade. After extensive fundraising and financial contribution from user groups, the $12,000 project is finally complete. A total of 14 lights were installed inside the centre while two LED spotlights were put up in the carpark. AEC project manager Karen Mayfield said the installation of the lights made the centre a lot safer and provided greater opportunities. “When running competitions and clinics, it gets very dark especially late in the afternoons which makes things very difficult to get value out of a day,” Mayfield said. “Now we can have instructors continue to teach late afternoon and into the evening if we wish to. “We have already had riders come down and ride in the evening, especially those that work and run out of daylight. “We can now run twilight events, and in the very dark and overcast days, it makes competitions fairer with all riders getting the same conditions.” Mayfield said the upgrades at the centre had been a long time coming. “We have had a few fundraiser events specifically for the lights and the user group clubs have contributed towards the final costs,” she said. “The cost of running the LED lights is also very economical, which means there is no major expenses added to its use.” The Albany Horseman’s Association held its first event since the COVID-19 shutdown, with 28 riders competing at the AEC on Sunday.