It was a gallop finish for the coveted Tom Quilty 2025 Gold Cup with Queensland’s Sample family repeating history.
Imbil’s Matthew Sample and brother Brook, from Kenilworth, were equal winners of the 160km endurance ride in 2009 at Tonimbuk, near Pakenham in Victoria.
Now Nikki Sample, wife of Matthew, and Matty Sample, 21-year-old son of Brook, have tied in 2025 for what is regarded as Australia’s premier horse riding endurance event.
They crossed the line at Sassafras, in northern Tasmania, with raised arms. They were just a couple of minutes ahead of the fast-finishing Ben Hudson – a two-times winner of the Tom Quilty.
Nikki was riding Razorback Blue Avatar and Matty was riding Brookleigh Danu. They completed the 160km course in a total ride time of 10hrs 43mins.
It was Matty’s third Quilty, and a win in his first completion.
For Nikki it was fourth time lucky – her first Tom Quilty ride was in 2019 at Stirling’s Crossing Equestrian Centre at Imbil where she finished second in the lightweight division riding Anglesea Finneas.
That was after two 40km training rides, three completed 80km and one 160km ride in six months to qualify.
Nikki admits to not being sure she knew what she was doing at that time.
In 2023, again at Imbil, Nikki finished third middleweight on Brookleigh Danu, five months after having had a baby, Elle.
Then in 2024 Nikki finished fourth middleweight at Wirrina Cove in South Australia.
“It was very special with both Matty’s and my horses having wins.
“Matty was fabulous to ride with. He’s very independent.
“He rode perfectly. He did the job. It’s in the blood.
“Elle will be here in a heartbeat, the day she turns 12.”
The Tom Quilty started in 1966 when Gabriel Stecher won the gold cup in the Hawkesbury district, near Sydney, riding Shalawi.
The highly-coveted Tom Quilty belt buckles are awarded to each competitor to complete the 160km course in a day.
The event is held on a rotational basis between the Australian states each year, where possible.
Horses are checked by veterinarians after each of five legs of the course to see if they are fit to continue.
The location for the 2025 gold cup at Tasmania’s farming community of Sassafras was ideal for the event.
Situated to the south of the port city of Devonport, and to the east of the iconic Cradle Mountain National Park, it is a farming community including grazing, agriculture, orchards and forests.
There was a hiccup in the weather in the lead-up to the TQ 25 with showers and the temperature dropping to three degrees during the day and minus-one overnight.
Yet by the time it came to start time the weather had cleared – clear nights, fog in the valleys of a morning but the sun shining during the day and temperatures rising to 17 degrees.
It had been a day of pre-ride vetting, the pre-ride talk, strappers and riders readying for a Tom Quilty Gold Cup start.
The atmosphere was full of anticipation in the lead-up to the traditional midnight start of the ride. Then, in the blink of an eye, it was time to saddle-up and set off.
Riders are allowed 24 hours to complete the course but the leaders expected to complete in a total ride time of 10 hours.
THE TRADITION CONTINUES
The Sample tradition started in 1993 when Bob Sample won on Sharahd Caprice in Tasmania.
His sons Matthew and Brook have continued that legacy, with Brook winning three gold cups before sharing the win in 2009 with Matthew.
Brook won the junior division in South Australia in 1986 and came in equal with Bob in 1993 but his horse did not pass the final vet check.
He has gone on to win a record seven Tom Quilty Gold Cups and 14 buckles – the same number of buckles as Bob.
Matthew won the coveted trophy at Nanango in 2008, gained third placings at South Australia in 2011 and Tasmania in 2012, then won the heavyweight division in South Australia last year.
The Sample name was a further part of the TQ 2025 with Taylor Grogan, the 12-year-old great granddaughter of Bob, finishing third in the junior division at her first attempt.
“The year has been focused towards this whole event,” Nikki said. “It’s very special because we are now focused towards the world championships next year in Saudi Arabia.
“Hopefully we will be taking Razorback (Blue Avatar) and Stirling’s Thor.”
The Sample team had been almost six weeks on the road from Queensland to Tasmania, competing at the Burrumbuttock End Ride and Tumbarumba Snowy Zone Carnival in New South Wales before catching the ferry across Bass Strait.
Nikki won the 120km ride at Burrumbuttock and the 100km ride at Tumbarumba, where Matty finished fourth.
There were 135 nominations for the 2025 Tom Quilty, with a 57.78 percent completion.
Queensland Endurance Riders Association had 29 nominations at Sassafras, with the QERA A Team finishing second in the teams event.
Peter Field from Cashmere was second in the heavyweight division on Rkayn Xuberant, while Troy Butler of Buccan, riding Falcon Hill Mahbeer, was seventh.
Mary Valley rider Giulia Ciprino, in what was her first Tom Quilty, was fourth in the lightweight division on Shakeel Glow.
Biggenden’s Sue Sutcliffe finished fifth in the lightweight division on En-Theos Zhivago, Wondai’s Virginia Barber was 12th on Lockleigh Park Special Edition, and Belli Park’s Emma Shone finished 13th on Brookleigh Syria.
TOM QUILTY 2025
The course at Sassafras, a farming community south of Devonport, was at first impression to be a good ride through undulating grazing land, orchards and forestry with some stony and steep sections.
The weather was exceptionally fine after some showers beforehand that softened the trails. Fog and overnight temperatures of zero degrees at the midnight start cleared to 17 degrees during the day.
However, it turned out to be a technically challenging course, especially the stony sections that saw many riders needing to dismount and run or walk their horses.
At the pre-ride briefing tribute was paid to the many property owners and organisations who had got behind this ride, to open their properties up and facilitate a great event.
Recognition was also paid to the volunteers and the effort that had gone into transforming Pat Lamprey’s Paddock into a welcoming ride base.
The year-long planning came down to the last 30 days, which showed how many people getting together could achieve a great outcome.
The venue, on sloping land, is well known to endurance riders.
The traditional midnight start was in almost frosty conditions, with the stars and a three-quarter moon in the night sky shining brightly. Only the warm breath of horses and riders broke the air.
By 6am fog had descended into the valleys, adding to the intrigue of this iconic event.
As riders completed the second leg the sun broke through over the surrounding ranges.
It created a shroud of excitement for the third leg and this turned out to be the moving moment for the Queensland duo of Nikki and Matty Sample.
For Matty, the win was so special – not just for himself but his father Brook and the Sample family.
“I’m sure Dad would be proud, very happy.”
RESULTS
Middleweight
1. Nikki Sample, Razorback Blue Avatar, 10hours 43minutes, 19seconds. 1. Matty Sample, Brookleigh Danu, 10:43:19. 3. Ben Hudson, Razorback Porsche. Best conditioned horse: Angie Clark, Littlebanks Troubadour.
Heavyweight
1. Harrison Berg, Khan Sadyk, 12:17:55 (best conditioned). 2. Peter Field, Rkayn Xuberant. 3. Shelley Jones, Shellal Blood Moon.
Lightweight
1. Susan Woodward, Kalody Park White Feather, 12:19:38. 2. Matilda Rockliff, Anderton Park Jonah Hex (best conditioned). 3. Toni Sheean, Foley-Jones Precious.
Junior
1. Alexa Parker, Bellawongarah Isaac, 13:42:28 (best conditioned). 2. Piper Braid, Kasdell Khali. 3. Taylor Grogan, Anastazia VA.
The Pat Slater Cup went to Khan Sadyk, ridden by Harrison Berg. It is for the horse judged to be the one renowned horse photographer Pat Slater would have liked to have seen in the ring next day.
The TQ Division Representative Teams went to Team Green (TAS): Jessica Goulding, Molly Napier, Kirsty Neilley and Angie Clark.
QERA A (QLD) in 2nd place: Ella Stanton, Peter Field, Alexander Toft and Jess Dakin.
Go The Blues (NSW) in 3rd place: Clare Fleming, Susan Woodward, Alan Mackinder and Amelia Heafey.
