20th Light Horse competed at the RAS in the period prior to WW11.The 20th Light Horse (Victorian Mounted Rifles) was raised in 1920 as part of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Citizen Military Forces, with Headquarters at Seymour and depots along the Goulburn Valley from Mansfield to Tocumwal in southern NSW. In December 1941, 20th Light Horse (Victorian Mounted Rifles) converted from horse to mechanised, initially as 20th Motor Regiment. In 1943 the Regiment was deployed to Merauke, Dutch New Guinea. Upon its return in April 1945, the Regiment was redesignated 20th Pioneer Battalion. It was disbanded following the end of the war. 20th Light Horse was the only light horse regiment to serve overseas in WWII. This competition was first introduced in Britain by Colonel Sir James Lloyd-Lindsay in 1873. From there it was brought to New Zealand and Australia in the 1890s. A team of four horsemen had to jump over a number of hurdles and fire their rifles in unison. Points were awarded for speed, accuracy and style. The Lloyd-Lindsay competition was also included in some A & P (agricultural and pastoral) shows, perhaps without the rifle firing.Rare examples of prizes awarded to Light Horse at Royal Agricultural Show.Colour Certificate from the Royal Agricultural Society (RAS) of Victoria awarding Second Prize to 20th Light Horse Regiment entry in Lloyd Lindsay Section, 1938.

Second Cavalry Division conducted camp of full time training at Torquay near Geelong Victoria from January to April 1940. One of the regiments attending was 8th Light Horse. This was one of the last large gathering of horsed cavalry in Victoria. The 8th Light Horse (Indi) Regiment had its headquarters at Benalla with sub-units throughout the Upper Murray and Northeast Victoria. In December 1941,the regiment converted from horse to mechanised, initially as 8th Reconnaissance Battalion then in July 1942 it became 8th Cavalry Regiment and served in Northern Territory. As Japanese threat to the mainland declined the regiment was disbanded.Images of citizen soldiers from North East Victoria at beginning of world War 2.Collection of six black and white photographs of 8th Light Horse in camp near Geelong, January to April 1940.Shows mounted horsemen,tents and horse lines.training, camp, torquay, cavalry, 8th light horse regiment

A section of four riflemen was the basic element of a Light Horse unit. In action when forced to dismount, three men formed the firing group while one man took the horses to cover.The 20th Light Horse (Victorian Mounted Rifles) was raised in 1920 as part of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, 2nd Cavalry Division, Citizen Military Forces, with Headquarters at Seymour and depots along the Goulburn Valley from Mansfield to Tocumwal in southern NSW. In December 1941, 20th Light Horse (Victorian Mounted Rifles) converted from horse to mechanised, initially as 20th Motor Regiment. In 1943 redesignated 20th Pioneer Battalion and deployed to Merauke, Dutch New Guinea. The regiment was disbanded at the end of the war, 1945. 20th Light Horse was the only light horse unit to serve overseas in WWII.This is one of a collection of photographs featuring a Light Horse regiment drawn from rural and regional Victoria in the period immediately prior to mobilisation for World War 2 (1939-1945).Black and white photograph mounted on card of four mounted horsemen being a section of the 20th Light Horse Regiment circa 1939. A fine image but the keen eyed observer will note the negative has been reversed in the processing.