RICHARD Wheeldon got his dose of heavy horse power last year and now he’s hooked.

The cattle farmer from Boyneside – between Kingaroy and Bell – arrived in Yangan two days ago to help mate Mick Bradford prepare for tomorrow’s heavy horse day.

“I’ve learnt that much from Mick from last time. I spent four days here last year and I’m doing the same this year,” Mr Wheeldon said.

“When you do something with your own hands it makes a big difference. I enjoy learning about it all tremendously.”

The team has helped Mr Bradford transfer the heavy horse machinery from the shed, set it up and then test it.

Yesterday afternoon it was the chaff cutter the men were working on.

Mr Bradford tested the machine with his four-wheeler (“it’s quicker than strapping a horse in”) yesterday and on cue, the machine came to life.

Tomorrow the machine will have two horses instead of a four-wheeler pulling it and will be turning hay into chaff.

Denis Ryan has been making the trek to Yangan for three years now and said it was the old machinery that lured him.

“I’m a member of the vintage car club and I like playing with antique things – it’s all I know,” he laughed.

“It’s also for a good cause and I like mucking around with the old stuff.”

Although the heavy horse day draws a large crowd each year, Mr Bradford said it was still a dying hobby.

“The showing of horse-drawn machinery is getting less and less,” he said.

“I’d definitely love to have it carried down but I don’t know whether (my son) would have time to do it.”

Up to 11 Clydesdales will work the machinery at Mr Bradford’s tomorrow. Also on display will be wheelwrighting, haymaking, corn shelling and local blacksmiths Scott Wilson and Matt Heron demonstrating the art of metal-making.

All the action starts at 9am tomorrow and entry is $5 a person. All money will go towards RACQ CareFlight.