NEW Year’s Eve revellers at tonight’s Upper Horton Rodeo will be celebrating for a cause, contributing to the Akta-Vite Campfires Against Cancer $500,000 fundraising target.

Dan Phegan and Ian James rode into north-west NSW this month on a 10-month trek on horseback from Darwin to Corryong to raise money for cancer research.

Tonight Mr Phegan and supporter Martin Oakes will entertain the Upper Horton Rodeo crowd as part of their fundraising efforts.

Mr Oakes, together with Garth Porter and Sara Storer, wrote the song Trail of Dreams to commemorate the trek and it is recorded on the CD of the same name featuring 20 country artists.

The CD, along with other Akta-Vite Campfires Against Cancer merchandise, will be sold at the rodeo and Bingara RSL to boost the current fundraising total of more than $200,000.

Year of the Outback chairman Bruce Campbell will officially open the Upper Horton Rodeo, an event which marks the close of the Year of the Outback.

Mr Phegan and Mr James will leave the Upper Horton area on Thursday and will travel 10km a day with a mob of 132 cattle, heading for the Tamworth Country Music Festival.

The mob has more than doubled in a month as graziers have donated about two head a day and will be auctioned in Tamworth during the Festival with the proceeds going towards the $500,000 target.

Media Contact:
Dan Phegan, Akta-Vite Campfires Against Cancer, 0429 995 662
Jenny Boardman, Akta-Vite Campfires Against Cancer, 0429 995 661
Megan Dixon, The Cancer Council, NSW north-west office, 6766 1164