There have been some questions as to why Ride4Life is running a ride in Bendigo on the same day as the Black Dog Ride. Some issues obviously need some clarification.

1. Shane Taylor, the Bendigo co-ordinator decided not to run a Black Dog Ride in Bendigo in 2017. The reason for this is that in 2016, Black Dog Ride received over $7000 in registration fees and $2200 in sale of merchandise. Lifeline ended up with $1377 in donations.
2. Many riders in Bendigo were under the impression that their registration fees for the ride went to Lifeline when this was not the case.
3. The ride in Bendigo is run on the same day as the Suicide Prevention Awareness Network walk. This was to be held the 19th March 2017. There is no other date we can run the ride as SPAN is already locked into that date.
4. If Ride4Life had not organised a ride on this particular day, it is believed that there would have been no ride to support the SPAN walk or Lifeline in 2017.
5. Shane Taylor is now organising the ride in Bendigo under the Ride4Life banner.
6. All the registration fees plus donations from Ride4Life will be going to Lifeline in Central Victoria. With any luck this should see Lifeline receive around $8000 from the event.
7. The Ride4Life ride is not intended to be in competition with the Black Dog Ride. If Ride4Life had not stepped up to run a ride in Bendigo on the 19th, there would not of been one organised at all unless BDR was able to find a co-ordinator to take it over.
8. The SPAN organisation and Lifeline are fully supportive of what Ride4Life are trying to achieve.
9. There is absolutely NO intention or suggestion that any riders need to choose allegiances. You should all follow your heart and brain based on whatever information you have to hand. Furthermore, there have been many strong personal relationships built up over years between people who have ridden with Black Dog Ride. The establishment of a new group should not in any way affect these relationships.

Everything possible will be done to ensure that next year's ride is not on the same date as the Black Dog Ride, however the final determination of the date will be up to the SPAN committee. There is no intention on the part of Ride4Life or anyone else to hurt BDR or force people to choose rides.

We trust that this post clears the issue up, but if anyone has any queries or wants to talk about it you are more than welcome to contact us.