Support Lach MacKinnon's Ride Across Mongolia
Raising funds for the the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund
I’m saddling up for the Mongol Derby - the toughest horse race on Earth.
Why? To see if I’ve still got it. To honour the endurance and grit that rural life teaches you. And to give back to the kind of communities that shaped me.
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Ride With Me Across Mongolia
Support the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund
I’m Lach MacKinnon. I’ve worked horses since I was a kid on the family farm in Tasmania. They’ve shaped who I am - from the cold cattle paddocks of Tasmania to the polo fields of the UK and New Zealand to life today in Melbourne.
Now, at 50, I’m saddling up for the Mongol Derby - the toughest horse race on Earth.
Why? To see if I’ve still got it. To honour the endurance and grit that rural life teaches you. And to give back to the kind of communities that shaped me.
Every dollar raised will support the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund, through the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation.
This fund opens doors for people in rural, regional and remote Australia to grow as leaders. It helps people who are already stepping up in their communities - but might not have the means to access leadership development.
I never met Bruce. But I know the kind of man he must have been - because I know his family, and I’ve seen what a legacy of rural leadership can look like.
I’ve set a goal to raise $20,000.
If me pushing through saddle sores and sleep deprivation can help fund someone else’s journey - that’s a trade I’ll gladly make.
Donate today. Let’s ride this out together.
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Your impact
Thank you for the
incredible support
By backing Lach’s incredible ride across Mongolia, you’re also helping someone from rural Australia take their own leap - into the life-changing experience of the Australian Rural Leadership Program.
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Raised by 113 people so far
Sam Hunt
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About Bruce Simpson
Generous. Dependable. Calm.
Cheerful. Magnanimous. Wise. Kind. Fair. Honest. Direct. Compassionate. Bruce brought calm leadership, unwavering generosity, and a love for agriculture to the communities he served. His journey began far from the expansive paddocks of the New South Wales Riverina, but he quickly found his way to the land, following his deep-seated passion for farming and rural life.
Bruce was known for his quiet strength and fair-mindedness, whether as Chair of Murray Irrigation Ltd. or as an agribusiness consultant and mentor. His thoughtful approach made him a trusted voice on complex issues, from water management to community advocacy. At every step, he championed fairness, always willing to listen, support, and help others find their way forward.
When Bruce unexpectedly passed in February 2024, his loss was deeply felt by his family, friends, and the many who looked to him as a guiding force. Nearly 1,000 people gathered along the Edward River to honour his memory—a tribute to a life lived with integrity and heart.
Bruce’s legacy will live on in each scholarship recipient who steps forward to carry on his vision—a vision for a resilient, thriving rural Australia where leadership is cultivated and shared for generations to come.
About the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund
Giving back in perpetuity
The Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund honours Bruce Simpson, a passionate advocate for rural Australia and the Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP) 7 alum. Bruce dedicated his life to empowering his community and the agricultural sector. With his sudden passing following an anaphylactic reaction in early 2024, his family partnered with the ARLF to create a $2 million perpetual fund to ensure that Bruce’s commitment lives on by providing an annual scholarship to a promising individual from the rural sector to undertake the ARLP and develop critical leadership skills.
Equip leaders to tackle emerging challenges
By donating, you’re fueling a fund that evolves with the rural sector’s needs, preparing leaders to meet tomorrow’s challenges with resilience and innovation.
Empower leaders who make a difference
Your contribution enables future leaders to gain skills, confidence, and connections that will drive meaningful, lasting impact in their communities and beyond.
Champion diversity in rural leadership
Your contribution provides scholarships to candidates from diverse communities and industries, ensuring that all voices get to lead and shape the future of rural Australia.
"Bruce always put himself in positions where he kept learning. He knew you never stop learning. For future scholarship recipients, I just hope they grow from their ARLP experience like Bruce grew from his and embrace that learning."
Shandra Simpson
"What drew us to aligning this initiative to the ARLF is that they have the know-how of building future leaders in this country. It is absolutely critical that we do this work to connect all of Australia with the issues affecting rural areas. We want to equip people with the skills, confidence and ability to represent not just themselves, but their communities. Instilling leadership skills is vitally important to bring about change."
John Simpson
“The creation of a self-sustaining fund is of huge importance to Bruce’s family, and to the ARLF. The enormous potential of the fund to support a committed leader – with full scope to match with the best candidate – is exciting. These scholarships afford an invaluable opportunity for diverse people to access a world-class leadership development opportunity.”
Matt Linnegar
