The Max Hedt Award

Max Hedt was a founding member of Wimmera Soaring Club in 1963 together with Tommy Thompson (Jeremy Thompson's father) and several others.  The Club's first glider, a Slingsby T31 tandem tutor, arrived later that year. Their first competition was at Dooen in the Easter of 1966.

Max had read a book called "8 Days at Angers" (France) and this gave the Club the idea to run an 8 day comp.  The best timing for conditions seemed to be early February, rather than Easter, and the first Horsham Week was held in 1967 at Dooen.  8 pilots competed including David Wilson (dedicated Horsham Week met-man who has competed nearly every year) in a Boomerang, Tony Tabart in his Bocian (Tony has competed in just about every Horsham Week) and Alan Patching.

In 1967, Wimmera Soaring Club received permission to locate at Horsham airfield and the hangar was moved.  The first flight out of Horsham was in October 1967.  The first Horsham Week at Horsham (the second Horsham Week) was in February 1968.