When Radincon-sponsored rider Susan Woodward got a message from endurance powerhouse Kirsty Neilley back in January, she had a hunch. The message was casual enough: “Keen to come to Tassie for a few rides this season?” But with the 2025 Tom Quilty scheduled to take place in Tasmania, Susan suspected this was more than just a friendly invitation. The wheels were already turning.
The first stop on the journey was the Three Rivers ride, held in the scenic Sassafras region near Mount Roland. It was here that Susan reunited with her favourite Tasmanian mount, Kalody Park White Feather (better known as Fizz). A cremello mare with striking blue eyes and a bit of a diva streak, Fizz is known for
her tendency to drift off mid-ride—sometimes literally. “She actually closes her eyes while you’re riding,” says Susan. “It can get a bit hairy!”
Despite the heat and Fizz’s preference for overcast days, the pair managed an impressive second place in the 80km ride with a time of 5 hours and 47 minutes. The team—consisting of Susan, Kirsty Neilley on Woodsong Princess Barbie, and Shane Neilley on Woodsong Indiana Rose—kicked off the season with a bang: Shane took out 1st HWT, and Kirsty claimed 1st LWT.
Only weeks later, it was back to Launceston (a place Susan and Radincon Managing Director Jon now know almost too well). This time, Susan was asked to ride the team’s reserve horse, Shoo Fly. “I’m not sold on the name,” Susan laughs. “Kirsty called her ‘Fly’ and just added ‘Shoo’ in front!” Despite the name, Fly is a spicy young chestnut mare with a sensitive streak. Kirsty is very particular about who rides her, but she knew Susan was up to the task.
Fly was a little tense at the start, but soon found her rhythm. The ride was a big milestone—her first out of novice—and the pair crossed the line safely in 9th place with a ride time of 7 hours. Shane, of course, won again, while Kirsty and Princess unfortunately vetted out lame.
Next up was the Kentish ride, just a few kilometres from the previous courses but with its own unique terrain. It was another scorcher, so the decision was made to go fast and beat the heat. The plan worked. Susan recorded her fastest 80km ride to date, finishing in 5 hours and 18 minutes and winning 1st Lightweight. Shane? You guessed it. Another 1st HWT. Kirsty shared 1st MWT honours with the
formidable Jillinda Aitchison.
Come Easter, it was time for the STER ride near Hamilton. A flight mix-up meant Susan and Jon flew into Launceston rather than Hobart, adding a bit of extra travel before the big weekend. This ride was hillier than the others, and Susan teamed up with her a new riding buddy – Wendy Rand (who coincidentally is the mum of the owner of Susan and Jon’s favourite accommodation whilst in Tassie – Four Square Apartments in Railton. Wendy rode Fizz, while Susan was back on Fly. “Honestly, I think Fly and Fizz need to swap names,” Susan joked. “Fly was absolutely fizzing!”
The ride was deliberately taken slower. With the Quilty only three weeks away, Susan made the call to preserve the horses’ energy. They took nearly three hours longer than her earlier 80km rides, but the priority was long-term fitness, not speed. Meanwhile, Shane and Kirsty both delivered again, Shane winning 1st HWT and Kirsty taking 1st LWT.
Fizz then had a brief break before switching gears to become a schoolmaster for Kirsty’s newly six-year old son, Ollie, as well as dazzling crowds at Agfest in Arabian costume classes.
Quiet plans to take on the Tom Quilty started to take more definite shape around this time. The idea was simple: each rider would partner with their favourite mount. Susan on Fizz. Kirsty on Princess. Shane on Indy. With Fly performing well, the decision was made to give her a go at the full 160km too. But who would ride her?
Enter Amelia Heafy. With her background as a mounted police officer and an impressive endurance record, she was the obvious choice. She leapt at the opportunity—especially when she heard she’d be riding a spicy chestnut mare!
With four horses in top form and a strong team of riders, Team Neilley was shaping up to be a serious Quilty contender. Tasmania’s home-ground advantage also played a part: while interstate horses had to contend with long-distance travel and ferry rides, the local horses could arrive fresh and well-rested, just the day before the event.
Stay tuned for Part 2: how the team fared at Australia’s ultimate endurance challenge, the 2025 Tom Quilty.
