Alstonville resident and president of the Tenterfield Endurance Riding Club, Duncan Woodhead, finished second in the heavyweight division of Tom Quilty Gold Cup.
This year's race was held in Imbil, Queensland, where 182 competitors took on a gruelling 160 kilometre course.
The 24 hour race began at midnight and competitors raced through the night with no sleep as they traversed the ranges of Imbil.
Not all were successful though, only 131 entrants successfully completed the course and passed the relevant vet checks.
The Tenterfield Endurance Riding Club has a long history of success at the race and this year was no different.
Luke Annetts finished first in the heavyweight division, and his trusty steed Churinga Taboo, picked up the best conditioned horse award in the category.
While Mr Woodhead , finished equal second in the heavyweight division alongside fellow member Allyson Taylor.
Fellow members Rachel Brown, Karen Lee and Xanthe Webb also had successful completions.
Duncan Woodhead attributes the success to the hills and rugged terrain of Tenterfield. "It's a fantastic training ground with lots of different tracks," he said.
The 2023 event marks 67 years since endurance riding began to emerge in Australia, after reports of the Tevis Cup in the USA began to circulate the bush telegraph.
R.M. Williams, editor of Hoofs and Horns, led the charge to help establish the inaugural race that was to be held in Sydney.
He then wrote to his friend Tom Quilty asking for his support for the 100 miles ride, and Quilty donated $1000. This was used to make a gold cup, the prize - that still stands today - for the winner of the event.
Quilty was a great horseman and cattleman in the Kimberly area of Western Australia and his legacy continues to be felt within Australia's agricultural fraternities.
Next year's race will be held in South Australia and Mr Woodhead has his eyes on the Gold Cup after back-to-back years of successful results.
It was only In 2018, that Mr Woodhead rediscovered endurance riding and began competing on his Standardbred.
Since then he has been etching his way closer to the top of the podium with a fifth place finish in 2022 and second place this year.
With 12 months to recalibrate, train and formulate a race strategy - a first place finish is certainly no hyperbole for Mr Woodhead.
