# Tom Quilty Gold Cup 160km Endurance Ride



## crackrider (Jan 23, 2007)

Oops forgot to put videos up!

http://www.abc.net.au/news/video/2008/10/10/2387936.htm

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,24430873-3044,00.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc-lyT-uzLM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZQ831FpA54&feature=related


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## Sara (Jul 6, 2007)

That was really cool, thanks for posting


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## crackrider (Jan 23, 2007)

*Some background info on the Tom Quilty*

Brief History
Endurance riding has been an organised sport in Australia since 1966. Reports of the Tevis Cup endurance ride in the USA began reaching Australia. One person inspired by the concept of a long distance competitive horse ride was R. M. Williams, editor of Hoofs and Horns, a pioneer horse magazine in this country. It had a wide circulation and printed stories and reports of the Tevis Cup. An invitation was extended through the magazine for people interested in conducting Australia’s own 100 miles in one day ride, to attend a meeting at the Australia Hotel, Sydney on Tuesday 5th April, 1966 to discuss the possibility of organising such a ride in Australia.
Twenty-three people attended to consider two submissions, one from the Mallee district of Victoria and the other from the Hawkesbury district, near Sydney, New South Wales. History shows that the Sydney offer was accepted, being a relatively central, scenic location, with the support of the University of Sydney’s Rural Veterinary Centre, Camden. A committee was formed to organise the first 100 mile ride, modelled on the successful Tevis Cup ride in the USA.
Despite much opposition from animal rights groups and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the event went ahead, thanks largely to the strong support from Professor David Hutchins. His professional standing was so high that the RSPCA could not engage a veterinarian who would oppose him. Professor Hutchins based the veterinary standards for the conduct of the ride on those used by the Tevis Cup, plus the results of some practical work done by two of his final year veterinary students. Horses in training for the ride were ridden over set distances and times, to help determine suitable veterinary standards. These results confirmed the standards being used in the American rides of the time. It was mandatory that the strictest of veterinary controls be applied to the ride, in the best interests of the horses, in order to show the budding sport as a professionally run event, and not an exercise in cruelty.
R. M. Williams wrote to his friend Tom Quilty, a great horseman and cattleman in the Kimberly area of Western Australia. Williams asked for his support for the 100 miles ride, and Quilty donated $1000. This was used to make a gold cup, the prize for the winner of the event. This is a perpetual trophy, and the ride was named the Tom Quilty Gold Cup in his honour. The original Gold Cup now resides in the Stockman’s Hall of Fame, in Longreach, Queensland.
Cash prizes were originally offered as incentive for competitors, however, at the last minute it was pointed out that local by-laws prohibited racing for money, over public roads. A meeting of riders and officials was held, and all resolved to ride for the satisfaction of simply participating, and for the honour of wearing the handsome silver Quilty buckle. The Quilty buckle is still a highly regarded prize. Endurance riding in Australia continues to be an amateur sport, with no provision for prize money.
The winner of the first Quilty was Gabriel Stecher, an engineer from Victoria, who rode his Arabian stallion ‘Shalawi’ bareback the full 100 miles, plus a few more miles when he took a wrong turn! Several riders retired their horses, when they felt them too tired to continue, but there were no major veterinary problems. The first Quilty was declared a success, and the following day, plans were made to form an Australian Endurance Riders Association, to devise a set of rules and adopt the veterinary standards as advised by Professor Hutchins and his assistant Bob Rawlinson.
The sport grew over the next several years, with fifty mile rides being conducted in all the states, and the annual Tom Quilty Gold Cup 100 mile ride in NSW. Endurance riding began to be accepted as part of the horse scene, with Hoofs and Horns magazine giving the sport coverage. In 2001, the national calendar has around 200 events, with about 2500 members of endurance associations.
The Quilty was considered as the National endurance ride, with its location being fairly central for riders, except for those in Western Australia. In 1986, a referendum of all endurance riders in Australia resulted in the decision to move the Quilty from state to state in rotation. This gave endurance riders in each of the six states to have the chance to compete in the Quilty in their home state, and not have to travel large distances to compete.
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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

That's incredible. Good for them, talking about dedication! I can only imagine the training done in preparation for it.


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## my2geldings (Feb 18, 2008)

Out of curiosity, what is the prize for winning something like this?


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## blossom856 (Apr 5, 2007)

Holy Moly! That sounds like a tough ride! Here I am thinking I'm tough for competing in a 10 mile hunter pace, lol. I couldn't imagine going 90 more miles. But than again I was riding a clunky draft cross, not a sleek arabian. Although on the trail she thinks she's an arabian. She loves to gallop, not exactly slow and pokey like you'd expect.


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## travlingypsy (Apr 5, 2008)

Ive been wanting to try this sport out. I think it would be so much fun and a challeng


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## crackrider (Jan 23, 2007)

My2Geldings said:


> Out of curiosity, what is the prize for winning something like this?


If you are the first horse over the line and you vet though fine then you usually get a big Gold cup trophy, a rug that has embroidery saying basicslly you won, a quilty buckle and then of coarse you get the recognition that you ae a great horseperon to be able to manage a horse over such a distance. Most people compete for the joy of it and the challenge. The feeling you get when you cross the finish line with a healthy and happy horse is amazing! 
You don't win any pize money, any money made in the endurance business is though selling horses (sometimes internationally). I have known some horses that were being trained with my coach/trainer that were sold for anywhere between $10,000 to $100,000 and some people I know have been offered more than $100,000 for a horse and turned it down.


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## crackrider (Jan 23, 2007)

My2Geldings said:


> That's incredible. Good for them, talking about dedication! I can only imagine the training done in preparation for it.


The horses cover much more than the actual ride distance in training. For an 80km ride (50 miles) we train about every second day and we do at least 10km each training session although we do ride longer distances like 15km, 20km or 35km often. Usually horses are in training for about 6 to 8 weeks doing this before they are ready for an 80km ride.
If this is all for an 80km ride you can imagine what it's like prepaing for a 160km ride!


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## AmityProductions (Dec 1, 2008)

*Tom Quilty DVD*

Hi Guy's,
I was there too. The Tom Quilty Committee approved me to make an official Souvenir DVD of the event. It's nothing to do with the ABC production.
It's a one hour DVD with interviews etc.
Have a look at (LOW RES) clips on youtube. The actual DVD is Shot in HD and brought back to DV.
Includes some helmet cam footage. Pre ride briefing. Interview with Chief Vet and a few international riders. Also Prize presentation (Meg Wades acceptance speech). Day and night footage. DVD is PAL format.
Tony Nixon.
YouTube - theaustralianhorse's Channel


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