The 56th Tom Quilty Gold Cup endurance ride was a challenging one for the 186 horse and rider combinations which took on the 160km course around Tooraweenah last weekend. 

There were 121 combinations which managed to complete the course in under 24 hours without being vetted out, to win a coveted Quilty belt buckle. 

The overall joint winners were Tahlia Franke and Kristie Taprell who both rode horses from the Castlebar Arabian stud owned and trained by Holbrook’s Meg Wade and Chris Gates. 

Tahlia and Kristie, trained together for the Quilty finished with the same time of 10 hours and 39 minutes to be declared joint winners. 

Both Tahlia, who rode Castlebar Bazaar, and Kristie who rode Castlebar Roulette, are experienced and successful top level endurance riders. 

Within days of the win Tahlia was on her way to the United States to compete in the equally as challenging Tevis Race – also 160km. 

Kristie meanwhile had returned home to her family’s property at Thologolong near Wodonga.   

It was the fifth time Kristie, 38, had won the Tom Quilty Gold Cup, which takes place in a different Australian state every year. She now has 19 Quilty buckles and has competed in the event in every state. 

She described the Tooraweenah course as “technical” with the landscape varying from hilly as it wound through the Warrumbungle Range, to flat and open. Recent heavy rain also added some challenges, with areas of deep mud to negotiate. 

Kristie and Tahlia were joint winners of the 56th Tom Quilty Ride held last week at Tooraweenah.

The event is named after Tom Quilty, a cattleman in the Kimberly area of Western Australia, who in 1966 was asked by his mate RM Williams to back a 100-mile ride modelled on the renowned Tevis Cup in the US. 

Local riders were also successful over the weekend. Junior riders Lara Duff, 12 and Charlie Bonham, 16, were the first placed juniors – completing the course in 12 hours and 36 minutes. 

Lara rode Box Hill Pegusus and Charlie rode Box Hill Sapphire. The Box Hill Team also included another local junior, Sophia Moppett who rode Box Hill Tilly Kay to finish in 16 hours and 18 minutes and Sam Duff who was seventh in the open heavyweight team riding Box Hill Storm Boy, also completing the course in 16 hours and 18 minutes. 

The Box Hill Endurance team was first placed in the teams point score, which was exciting for owner Sonia Bonham, who was Ride Director.  

A fourth junior, Isabella Worner, riding Lucanna Park Mystic Fire also successfully completed the course, in 16 hours and 59 minutes. 

The Tom Quilty Gold Cup is named after a Kimberley Cattleman. It is kept throughout the year in the Stockmans Hall of Fame at Longreach, Queensland.

Over 400 people from all across the country set up camp around the showground, and enjoyed the events put on by the Tooraweenah Endurance Ride Club.  

There was a wine and cheese night where local producers had tastings and sold their products to the guests and a market day held in Tooraweenah’s main street. 

Out-of-towners commented on Tooraweenah’s warm and welcoming community, with some even going as far to say that Tooraweenah has been one of their “favourite Tom Quilty destinations”.  

Ride publicity officer Kylie Moppett said Tooraweenah Preschool and Public School, and the Lions Club, served food and kept the canteen was open for anyone needing a bite to eat.  

“The weather held off for the most part, however due to the wet ground from the rain the week before we were towing the competitors into the camping areas with a tractor.” 

Community members and farmers alike rallied together to lend a hand, and made sure everyone had a good and safe time.  

The event will be held in Victoria next year, and there was a ceremony to hand over the flag to the next organisers.