A life-sized bronzed statue of a rider and horse galloping into battle will be erected thanks to a $150,000 grant announced by Member for Riverina and Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack on Saturday.

The announcement came at a fitting time on the 103^rd anniversary of the famous World War I mounted Charge of the Light Horse Brigade, where the 4^th Light Horse Brigade charged across the desert and stormed Turkish defences to take the strategic Middle Eastern town of Beersheba.

"The Light Horse has nationally significant roots in the Riverina and South West Slopes beginning with the forming up in 1887 of 'F' Troop Murrumbidgee Light Horse at Wagga Wagga, Junee and Eurongilly and then the first enrolments of the 1st Australian Horse under Captain James Alexander Mackay at Murrumburrah in 1897," Mr McCormack said.

"Wagga is the only inland regional city with all three arms of the Defence Force, with traditions and heritage that go back extremely far, so we are proud of our rich sense of history in that regard, and when the memorial is eventually constructed, it will certainly go a long way in reminding people of those sacrifices made."

The Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program also saw three other Riverina electorates awarded funding totalling $220,060, including the Temora Aviation Museum, Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council and the Coolamon RSL Sub-branch.

The boost to Wagga's National Servicemen's Association Light Horse Memorial Committee will go "a long way" to helping achieve their funding goal, Mr McCormack said.

"They were hoping to have it completed by 2023, but this funding helps bring that forward a lot earlier which I don't think they expected at all," he said.

"They were all shocked, delighted, and quite emotional."

Minister for Veterans' Affairs Darren Chester said the recipients of this round of grant funding were making a vital contribution to preserving military history and bringing the community together through projects and activities which commemorated service personnel.

"Community-led commemorative projects play a very important part in helping Australians learn about the crucial role of our service personnel and recognising their courage and sacrifice in serving our nation," he said.