PG.24
AQHA PROFILE
Bill Tonkin and Tramps Destiny Q-49450
Photo by: Liz Speed Photography
“
Francis, whom he had the privilege to watch win the Open
Futurity on ‘One Hellofa Spin’ in 2003. Also his sister, Amelia
Servin, a successful Cutter in her own right who has been in
the sport of cutting for a while. “Now and then I’d work a
horse of hers and loved the feel. I used to show once a year at
the local Barraba show in the Rookies, but it wasn’t until 2017
a mate and I went to the Futurity Sale at Tamworth, and both
bought a yearling with the plan to train it for the 2019 Non
Pro Futurity. We both got our horses trained and turned up in
2019 with our first horse. It was all the hard work along the
way and the reward of actually getting a horse trained to show
one-handed that really gave me the bug,” Bill said.
Bill believes the key to
his success is “being
consistent working
your horses
“
Based on the cattle property ‘Tumlong’ Barraba, Bill works
on attending seven or eight weekend shows per year,
depending on how busy they are on the property. Then the
aged event shows being Tamworth in June then Toowoomba,
St George and the Victorian Futurity. “They’re a heap of
fun.” Bill believes the key to his success is “being consistent
working your horses; I’m pretty lucky to be able to work with
cattle day in day out here at home. I think that’s a bit of an
advantage that’s helped me.” At an event, Bill ensures his
horses are loped down to each horse’s individual need, and in
the practice pen making sure his horses are fine-tuned before
he watches the cattle as the herd is being settled.
Bill campaigned three horses during his first year of
serious competition;
• Tramps Destiny Q-49450 (Acres Destiny x Tramp O’Lena)
18yo Gelding
• Yulgilbar I’m Flying High Q-8386 (Hydrive Cat x Roys Cachet)
4yo Gelding
• Hard Hat Girl Q-78230 (Hard Hat Henry x Scott Free)
6yo Mare
2019 Victorian Futurity - Goulburn Valley
Amateur Non Pro Futurity Champion
Mr Bill Tonkin and Yulgilbar Im Flying High Q-8386
Photo by: Liz Speed Photography
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION - www.aqha.com.au