Matty Sample Wins 2025 Tom Quilty Gold Cup
Nikki Sample on Razorback Blue Avatar and Matty Sample on Brookleigh Danu
Twenty-two-year-old Matthew Steven Sample, riding the 12-year-old grey mare Brookleigh Danu, has claimed top honours in the 2025 Tom Quilty Gold Cup — Australia’s most prestigious 160 km endurance race, held annually since 1966.
This year’s event took place from 9–11 May at ‘Pat’s Paddock’ in Sassafras, Tasmania — the southernmost venue in the race’s history. Since 1986, the event has rotated between states, offering riders unique landscapes and challenges across Australia. The Tasmanian course provided a distinct and memorable Quilty experience.
Competing in the Middleweight division, Matty Sample and Brookleigh Danu, owned by Matthew Sample, completed the demanding course in 10:43:19 at an average speed of 14.92 km/h — earning them the overall win.
Finishing alongside Matty was Nikki Sample on 12-year-old bay gelding Razorback Blue Avatar, who also clocked 10:43:19. The duo crossed the finish line hand in hand, with Nikki securing second place and taking home the coveted Best Conditioned Horse award.
A total of 135 riders competed in the 2025 Tom Quilty Gold Cup, divided into four divisions: Heavyweight (17 riders), Middleweight (59), Lightweight (47), and Juniors (12). Riders began the race at midnight, facing five stages of 45 km, 33 km, 45 km, 21 km, and 16 km — all to be completed within 24 hours.
Division winners included:
Heavyweight: Harrison Berg on Khan Sadyk, 12:17:55, and Best Condition
Lightweight: Susan Woodward on Kalody Park White Feather, 12:19:38
Junior: Alexa Parker on Bellawongarah Isaac, 13:42:28, and Best Condition
Harrison Berg on Khan Sadyk |
Susan Woodward on Kalody Park White Feather |
Alexa Parker on Bellawongarah Isaac |
Despite its challenging terrain, the course rewarded strategy, preparation, and partnership between horse and rider. Early stages offered safe overnight conditions, while later sections revealed the natural beauty of Tasmania. Loop 3 delivered sweeping views of Bass Strait and the Rubicon Estuary. Riders cresting the high points of Loop 2 at dawn were treated to sights of the Western Tiers and autumn-hued orchards, before looping back to the base via a passage under the Bass Highway.
Stages 4 and 5 continued the course’s diversity with fine gravel, plantation trails, and sandy native bush tracks — a true test of endurance for horse and rider alike.
The 2025 track exemplified the spirit of the Quilty: rewarding well-prepared teams that rode within their means, showcasing trust, endurance, and horsemanship at the highest level.
History of the Tom Quilty Gold Cup
The Tom Quilty Gold Cup began in 1966 — the year endurance riding was born in Australia.
R. M. Williams by John Elliott |
R. M. Williams, then editor of Hoofs and Horns magazine, was inspired by reports of the Tevis Cup in the United States. He rallied support through his publication, leading to a meeting on 5 April 1966 in Sydney, where it was decided to hold the first 100-mile (160 km) endurance ride in the Hawkesbury District of New South Wales.
Williams sought support from his friend, legendary horseman and cattleman Tom Quilty of the Kimberley region, who donated $1,000 to create a gold cup for the winner. That original cup now resides in the Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach, Queensland. The event was named in Quilty’s honour.
From the outset, the spirit of the ride was not about prize money, but about personal achievement. Riders compete for the honour of wearing the coveted silver Quilty buckle — a symbol regarded by many as the equivalent of an Olympic gold medal in the endurance world. |
Tom Quilty / archive |
The first winner in 1966 was Gabriel Stecher, who rode his Arabian stallion Shalawi bareback for the entire 100 miles. The success of that inaugural event led to the formation of the Australian Endurance Riders Association and established the Tom Quilty Gold Cup as a national fixture.
A 1986 referendum among endurance riders led to the decision to rotate the event between states, giving all riders the chance to compete in their home regions.
The 2025 edition marked the return of the Tom Quilty Gold Cup to Tasmania for the first time since 2018. |
by Cidinha Franzão. Photo credit: Sarah Sullivan Photography
More information: https://tomquilty.com/tq25-website-official |
