![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/558536338_4339088836378160_3585957927353060517_n.jpg\" "\\"Amy")
<\/p>\nFor Amy Forrester and Jess Palmer, the Landor Races aren\u2019t just a race meet, they\u2019re a return to something deeply familiar and fiercely loved.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been coming to Landor since I was a kid,\u201d says Amy. \u201cI have lots of family who have grown up in the area and have a lot to do with the races, so it holds a special place in my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jess echoes that sentiment. \u201cLandor is unique in that it\u2019s like a big family reunion every year, with no phone service to interrupt a good catch-up. The red dust just seeps into your veins somehow, and you always need to go back to fill the soul up again.\u201d<\/p>\n
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(Image: Amy is all smiles after winning The Power Family Plate aboard the former Pearce Racing trained Mystery Bullet)<\/p>\n
Held annually in October at Landor Station in Western Australia’s East Gascoyne region, the Landor Races are a traditional bush race meeting that\u2019s been running since 1921. The racecourse, located about 30 kilometres from the station, offers a breathtaking journey through the outback, vast plains, rugged ranges, and landscapes rich with native flora and fauna.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/landor.jpg\" "\\"Landor\\"")
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Getting there is part of the adventure. \u201cYou can go through Meekatharra, where the road gets bumpy and remote,\u201d says Amy. \u201cOr through the Murchison, which means more dirt roads but great scenery. The remoteness is what makes it so unique.\u201d<\/p>\n
That isolation is part of Landor\u2019s charm, but it also presents challenges, especially on the track.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe track is by far the hardest I\u2019ve ridden on,\u201d Amy says. \u201cIt has a very tight turn into a very short straight, so you need to be smart about how you come into the corner. Even a slight shift outwards and you can bet there\u2019s someone behind you waiting to take the gap.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jess, who\u2019s been riding at Landor since she was 17, returned to race riding this year after a five-year break to raise her children. \u201cI think it\u2019s the thrill of being able to race as an amateur up there, as well as the general feel of the weekend,\u201d she says. \u201cEach win has a different feel, they\u2019re all amazing, but some are just so special you can\u2019t describe the feeling.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/558151623_10234699595323264_3355511012524188085_n.jpg\" "\\"Landor")
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(Image: Jess Palmer celebrates the Landor Cup win aboard Gin ‘N’ Swanic)<\/p>\n
This year, Jess had one of those moments. \u201cI had a win on Mum\u2019s horse, which made my weekend. With it being my comeback year, I had little expectations, and getting a win was icing on the cake. Then I came out and won the Elders Landor Cup. I\u2019m still pinching myself days later!\u201d<\/p>\n
Unlike regular race meetings, Landor doesn\u2019t use starting gates. Instead, horses begin with \u2018walk-up starts\u2019. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs a rider, we need to be fast track licensed through RWWA,\u201d Jess explains. \u201cEach horse must have trialled or raced in the past 12 months, and trainers need to be licensed too. It means there\u2019s a general standard of safety, which is great.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/558872235_10234699607363565_5367354613821886886_n.jpg\" "\\"558872235_10234699607363565_5367354613821886886_n\\"")
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(Image: Jess with her family and the East Gascoyne Race Club committee after the Cup victory)<\/p>\n
For those new to Landor, Jess says there\u2019s always a way in. \u201cIf you don\u2019t have connections, get in touch with an existing trainer, there\u2019ll always be rides available. Landor is a place where amateur jockeys are wanted and needed.\u201d<\/p>\n
Beyond the racing, Landor is packed with tradition and community spirit. \u201cIt\u2019s run by a very dedicated and passionate group who all have some sort of family or community connection to Landor and its history,\u201d says Amy.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/557992292_4339088799711497_7047906393106105918_n.jpg\" "\\"Landor")
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Jess adds, \u201cLandor has such a vibe. There\u2019s so much to do, from sitting around a fire to watching the races. Saturday evening is Ball night, usually themed and a lot of fun. Nothing like red dust and a ball gown!\u201d<\/p>\n
The weekend unfolds with Saturday\u2019s race day, featuring the Ladies Bracelet, followed by Sunday\u2019s gymkhana for kids and adults. Monday wraps up with another race day, fashions on the field, the finals of the $1000 barrel race, and the feature event, the Landor Cup.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s no phone reception, which only adds to the atmosphere. \u201cEveryone is so present,\u201d says Amy. \u201cThe bookies on course are it for the punters, so there\u2019s always lots of healthy bartering going on.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/screenshot-2025-10-09-091443.jpg\" "\\"Landor\\"")
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It\u2019s this blend of tradition, grit, and outback spirit that makes Landor unlike anywhere else.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think until people go and experience it for themselves,\u201d says Amy, \u201cthey can\u2019t really understand what it\u2019s like.\u201d<\/p>\n