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| Tom Quilty Gold Cup 2006 - 22nd May 2006 | |
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ENDURANCE CONTEST Well-loved television and travel celebrity, Ernie Dingo, will be the Ambassador to the Tom Quilty Gold Cup 2006. And popular country music star, Adam Brand will showcase Australian country music to the international and local riders and crews attending the event. The punishing 160km-long endurance pursuit, which is being be held in Boonah, South East Queensland in June, has attracted 350 nominations from across Australia and around the world. Together with their entourages, they're expected to swell the local population by 5,000. Competitors will fly in from the Middle East, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, the USA and Europe to test themselves alongside the Aussies, who are ranked world-first with more international medals to their name than any other country. Organiser Dick Collyer said that Ernie Dingo was a most popular choice. "We want to showcase what is best about country Australia. Ernie makes a great representative. He has strong connections with horses and the country. We're aware that he is an excellent, experienced, rider and a great horseman. We're absolutely delighted that he has been able to find time in a demanding schedule to represent the Quilty. "Adam Brand has legions of fans here in Australia, and we're thrilled that he has agreed to provide a concert for the riders, crews and officials - especially those visitors from overseas, who may not have experienced Australian country music. It will help make the event a memorable one." The objective of the Quilty is to test horse and rider - '100 miles on one horse in one day'. Competitors will begin the ride over bush tracks at a freezing midnight on Friday 9th June. Although they have a full 24 hours to complete, the winners are expected to cross the finish line in about 14 hours - arriving from 2pm on Saturday afternoon. Riders will also be vying for the coveted Best Conditioned awards, which reward the excellent physical condition of the top endurance horses. SHEIKHS, COWBOYS AND PRINCES AMONG QUILTY HOPEFULS A contingent of royal sheikhs more used to galloping across the deserts of Arabia , an American cowboy who trains among the bears, rattlesnakes and canyons of the Sierra Nevada, a Japanese businessman who has battled for almost a decade to qualify, and a Malaysian prince who is also a top international rider. These are just some of the overseas competitors who will fly in to the South East Queensland town of Boonah for the punishing 160km horse race, the Tom Quilty Gold Cup 2006. They are coming to test themselves alongside the Aussies, who are ranked world-first in the sport of endurance riding, with more international medals to their name than any other country. The Australians are fielding some of their top riders, such as Queenslanders Peter and Penny Toft, Sydney's Jennifer Gilbertson, Victorian Meg Wade and international junior champion, Brooke Warner from Newcastle. But also lining up at the start will be local hopefuls such as the five Weier children from Boonah - who've been training on borrowed horses for the past two years and selling stable poo at $2 a bag to pay for their entries. Eleven year old, Brianna Weier, will be the youngest rider in the field, and her horse, Thalara, who at a little more than 14hh is really a pony, is likely be the smallest in the 300-strong competition. Eric Tuennecke from Grafton, NSW, who admits to being over 80, will be the oldest rider. Quilty hosts, the Fassifern Valley Pony Club have offered to crew for both Brianna and Eric. Contenders will begin the ride in the foothills of the Scenic Rim at a freezing midnight on Friday 9th June. Although they have a full 24 hours to complete, the winners are expected to cross the finish line in about 14 hours - arriving from 2pm on Saturday. Riders will also be vying for the coveted Best Conditioned awards, which reward the excellent physical condition of the top endurance horses. The objective of the Quilty, set out in 1966 by founders, bush legend, RM Williams, and Kimberly cattleman, Tom Quilty, is to test horse and rider - '100 miles on one horse in one day'. Riders are expected to arrive in Boonah with their horses from as early as two weeks before the event. One of Australia's best-loved TV personalities will soon be named The Tom Quilty Ambassador and a well-known country music star will be identified who will be performing for the riders and their crews. For further information, please contact: Pamela Robson on (07) 3839 8747 or 0412 158 886 or email: pamela@robson-dixon.com or Dick Collyer on (07) 5463 1979 or email: collyer@gil.com.au | |
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