The horse from Tallangatta that earned its own statue

After year of fundraising, a statue to immortalise the single Australian horse to came back from the World Wars has been unveiled.

A battle to gain recognition for the only horse to be brought home from world wars has been won.

After years of fund raising, a statue recognising Sandy the War Horse was unveiled in Tallangatta at the weekend.

A parade was held as part of the recognition of Sandy the war horse, the only horse to return from the war. Picture David Cottee

And while Sandy – the eight-year-old gelding donated to the Australian Imperial Force by a local Tallangatta family in World War I – might be the one immortalised, Ross Smith said the story was beyond just one horse.

“Sandy stands for all those who made sacrifices, for the thousands of horses that went to war and never came back,” Mr Smith said.

That Sandy should be honoured was undeniable, Mr Smith said, but that’s not to say the process was easy.

“When we really decided to do this, we got quotes and with a $160,000 price tag, people told us we were crazy,” Mr Smith said.

“But we got a grant from the council backed by the federal government for $80,000 and that really helped us along.”

Ross Smith from Tallangatta was the driving force behind the recognition of Sandy the war horse. Picture: David Cottee

Mr Smith said Sandy would stand sentinel in the middle of town, reminding generations to come of the sacrifices made at every level during world wars.

And his efforts to keep that recognition are not over – his next plan is to have a movie made about the only horse to return from war.

A parade was held as part of the recognition of Sandy the war horse, the only horse to return from the war. Picture David Cottee

Originally published as The horse from Tallangatta that earned its own statue