Townsville Horseman nominated for Australian of the Year Award

Townsville’s Geoff Toomby has been nominated for an Australian of the Year Award for his work in motivating young people in regional communities and teaching safe animal handling and horsemanship skills to those working on the land.

Geoff is among more than 1600 nominations received to date for Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year (60 years and over), Young Australian of the Year (16 to 25 years) and Australia’s Local Hero. Nominations close on Monday 28 August, 2006.

Geoff and his dedicated team travel throughout Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia to teach young people valuable skills which help them get work in rural communities and also run clinics for rural workers to learn how to handle animals safely. Geoff is well known for his horsemanship skills and his experience is sought after. At the Charleville Show, he set a new record for catching, breaking and riding an untouched horse. He caught the horse at 10.25am and was riding it in the Grand Parade at 12.30pm the same day, using the safe, natural interaction techniques he shares with his students.

“We go wherever we’re needed and show people safe horsemanship skills and how to work with dogs or any other animal to ensure both their safety and the wellbeing of the animals as well,” explained Geoff.

“We also teach kids work skills to help them get started and improve their prospects in rural areas.”

Geoff is passionate about supporting young people in rural communities and about regional Australia.

“Rural communities across Australia are dying because nobody goes there and the young people leave to find better prospects, but nobody’s giving those kids the skills to stay either,” said Geoff.

“Everybody knocks kids these days but nobody’s showing them what they can do or giving them the support they need to improve their future.

“We’ve got some talented kids in Australia and all they need is a helping hand to bring out their natural skills and I’m a strong believer in giving them a go.”

Geoff was overwhelmed by the news he had been nominated in the Australian of the Year awards and said he felt everyone he worked with also deserved to be nominated.

“It’s a great honour to be nominated but I’m just guiding the way in what we do – my wife Vicki, everyone we work with and the people at MACAIR who help us travel around the country to run clinics and teach kids are just as worthy of the thank you,” said Geoff.

“I love this country and believe its time we got to get our act together to keep rural communities alive.

“They say we live in a computer age, but nobody’s invented a computer yet that can do the ‘arms and legs work’ that is still needed to keep this country moving.”

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