Table Top's Emma Dimech set off on Australia's ultimate test of endurance in the dead of night nursing a bad cold.
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She was aboard a feisty but untried horse at the 160-kilometre distance demanded by the Tom Quilty Gold Cup ride, the premier event on the country's endurance calendar.
From the outset, though, 19-year-old Emma said her mare, Oso Diamond Dazzler, was champing at the bit to get going.
They set off from an equestrian complex at Imbil, Queensland in the wee hours of Saturday, July 13, along with 298 other riders.
Ten hours and 41 minutes later, the plucky pair took out first place honours in the lightweight division of the iconic race.
"She just flew around it," a delighted Emma said on Tuesday.
"The next day she looked like she could go out and do it all again."
The locally based Oso team had been hoping "DD", as she is known at home, might make the top 10 placings.
The longest distance she had previously completed was 120 kilometres at Easter during an event on her home ground at Table Top - which she duly won.
"She's a crazy chestnut - she will just keep going and going," Emma laughed affectionately.
"I've been riding her since the start of 2019 and she's a horse that will give you 110 per cent.
"She handled the Quilty like a pro - we were all very impressed with her."
Equally impressive was the fact Emma and DD were only 33 minutes behind overall winner Kaylea Maher, from Queensland, on Matta Mia Dimari.
Stirling's Crossing Endurance Club hosted the ride and president Kim Moir said she was delighted local rider Maher had taken home the cup.
"Kaylea has had an impressive endurance record, having completed 122 official rides covering over 11,600 kilometres to this point, as well as taking home the lightweight title at the Tom Quilty Gold Cup three times in the seven years she has competed," Ms Moir said.
"The ride was very successful with exceptional conditions given the cool, dry weather and condition of the tracks in the Imbil State Forest.
"There were riders aged from 12 to 77 and they all had from midnight on Friday until midnight last night (Saturday) to complete the ride."
"There is great prestige associated with completing the ride, hence the tagline: To complete is to win; and every rider out there was aiming to complete the 160-kilometre track within the 24-hour deadline to collect their Quilty buckle.
"This year 194 buckles were presented to riders who completed the ride with the longest rider out on the course for 20 hours and 53 minutes."
Emma said she averaged about 16 kilometres per hour during the race which wound its way through forestry tracks and over some big hilly ranges.
"The steepest climb was probably in the first leg - it was called Breakneck hill," explained Emma who would dismount and clamber down the steepest sections to give her horse a break.
"I slowed up a little bit in the second stage to make sure I had a horse left at the end."
The Tom Quilty is steeped in history, since the event was established in 1966 by Queenslanders Erica and RM Williams.
The original Tom Quilty Gold Cup - named after RM's close friend Tom Quilty - is held in the Stockman's Hall of Fame at Longreach.
The Quilty buckle is highly prized and is bestowed on any rider who completes the 160-kilometre track within the 24-hour deadline.
Emma, who helps train the Oso Arabian horses in the Table Top hills, is still on cloud nine after her results.
"It's a big achievement - I still haven't come to terms with it," she said.