Receipt for Garryowen Trophy Statuette

The competition is named after three-time Melbourne Royal Show Champion Hack, Garryowen, whose owner Violet Murrell died tragically while trying to save Garryowen from a stable fire in 1934. As a pair, Violet and Garryowen had won over 200 competitions across a large variety of equestrian competitions, and Violet was recognised as a strong advocate for women’s greater participation in the sport.

After Violet's passing, a few of her close friends gathered at the St Kilda Road headquarters of the Victoria Police to discuss Violet's bravery and a fitting memorial. These friends were Mr W.A. Jones, Garryowen's former owner; Mr Tom Coffey, Instructor with the Victoria Mounted Police; Mrs Eileen Coffey, wife of Tom and an accomplished horsewoman who became the winner of the Garryowen Trophy in 1937 and 1941; and Mr H.C.F. Morant, a specialist photographer of horses and a freelance journalist. Deciding a Perpetual Memorial Trophy at the Royal Melbourne Show would be a fitting recognition, Mr Morant became the trustee of the 'Garryowen Memorial Fund', where horse lovers and the general public raised funds for the purchase of the trophy's bronze statuette.