Ray Johnston
27 July 1950
Ray is a retired trade TAFE teacher, now tour guide who was born in Broken Hill and has lived in the Far West Region for 73 years. Ray’s Far West Champion status is attributed to his involvement as both an athlete and an administrator in the sport of equestrian tentpegging. Ray has been around horses for the majority of his life, competing in the sport for 32 years.
Ray has frequented local, regional, state, national and world championships on many occasions and across several different events. Most notably, Ray is a World Championship team member and an A-grade national judge. He was also elected National President of the Australian Tentpegging Association for 3 years during which time he developed the ATA’s official training program for each and all Tentpegging events for new and junior members and helped in the updating and rewriting of the new rule book. These are testimonies to his extraordinary commitment across three decades of competing. His ability has been recognised internationally, in 1996 and 1998 he was invited by the management of the Indian team to move to India for 6 months to help coach and train their horses and riders.
At the World Championships in 2010, he was invited by the Prince of Pakistan; Prince Malik Atta Khan, now deceased, to go to Pakistan to train his team, give demonstrations and compete in their competitions. Unfortunately, due to work commitments, Ray was unable to accept these invitations. In Australia, Ray has been invited by many Pony Clubs and other horse related clubs to conduct tentpegging schools, including the local Broken Hill Pony club. Ray has conducted these schools in hope of attracting more riders to take up the sport.
While Ray is no longer competing, he is climbing the ranks of the judging system, being invited to become an international judge by attending Judges School in Oman. When he is not Tentpegging, you will find Ray enjoying one of many hobbies; including fishing, pistol shooting, clay target shooting, hunting and expanding his knowledge on the history of the Broken Hill area, or spending time with his wife, two children and two grandchildren.
Ray is inducted into the Far West Sporting Hall of Fame as both an Athlete and General member, recognising his achievements as both a competitor and administrator.
AWARDS & MILESTONES
2019
- Invited to become an international judge by attending Judges School in Oman in 2020 (unable to attend due to COVID-19).
2015
- Achieved a-grade judge status.
2014
- Sydney Royal Show – Livermore Lance Perpetual Trophy and Champion Team Member.
2013
- Sydney Royal Show – Reserve Individual Champion.
- ATA National President.
2012
- Royal Adelaide Show – Australia vs Pakistan, winning team member.
- ATA National President.
2011
- Royal Adelaide Show – Overall Individual Champion.
- Elected ATA National President position.
2010
- World Championships held in Noida, India – gold medal in the Teams Lances event and silver in the Teams Indian File event.
2009
- New South Wales State Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- South Australia State Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- Victoria State Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- Queensland State Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- Australian National Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- Royal Adelaide Show – Champion Team.
- Sydney Royal Show – Champion Team.
- Selected in Australian representative team.
2008
- New South Wales State Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- South Australian State Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- Victorian State Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- Queensland State Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- Australian National Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- Outback Championships – Overall Champion Team.
- Achieved b-grade judge status.
2007
- Australian National Titles – Overall Champion Team.
- Australian National Titles – Champion Pairs of Swords event.
- Australian National Titles – Reserve Champion Skill at Arms event.
2006
- Outback Championships – Champion Skill at Arms event.
- South Australian State Titles – Champion Teams Lances event.
- South Australian State Titles – Champion Teams Swords event.
- Victorian Championships – Champion Pairs of Swords event.
- Victorian Championships – Reserve Champion Lemons and Peg event.
2005
- Outback Championships – Champion Skill at Arms event.
- Outback Championships – Champion Lemons and Peg event.
- South Australian State Titles – Champion Teams Lances event.
2004
- South Australian State Titles – Overall Individual Champion.
- South Australian State Titles – Champion Teams Lances event.
- Australian National Titles – Champion Lemons and Peg event.
- Australian National Titles – Champion Teams Lances event.
- Australian National Titles – Champion Teams Swords event.
- Australian National Titles – Reserve Champion Team.
- Outback Championships – Champion Team Swords.
- Victorian State Titles – Champion Skill at Arms.
2003
- New South Wales State Titles – Reserve Champion Team.
- Victorian State Titles – Champion Pairs of Swords event.
- Victorian State Titles – Champion Lemons and Peg event.
- Outback Championships – Champion Skill at Arms event.
2002
- New South Wales State Titles – Champion Teams Lances event.
- New South Wales State Titles – Champion – Champion Pairs of Lances event.
- Outback Championships – Champion Rings and Peg event.
- South Australian State Titles – Champion Team Swords.
2000
- Riverina Championships – Champion Pairs of Swords event
- Outback Championships – Champion Pairs of Swords event.
- Outback Championships – Champion Pairs of Lances event.
1999
- Outback Championships – Champion Skill at Arms event.
- New South Wales State Titles – Champion Teams Lances event.
- South Australian State Titles – Champion Team Lances event.
1998
- Selected as team manager, coach and reserve rider to represent Australia at World Championships in Cape Town, South Africa.
- Snowy River High Country Cup Champion Team
1997
- Riverina Championships – Champion Teams Lances event.
- Riverina Championships – Champion Rings and Peg event.
- Riverina Championships – Champion Lemons and Peg event.
- Riverina Championships – Reserve Champion Skill at Arms event.
- Victorian State Titles – Reserve Champion Skill at Arms event.
- South Australian State Titles – Champion Pairs Lances event.
1996
- Selected as team manager and reserve rider to represent Australia at World Championships in Pretoria, South Africa.
SPORTING HISTORY
2010
- World Championships held in India.
1998
- World Championships held in South Africa.
1996
- World Championships held in South Africa.
1994 – 2014
- Sydney Royal Show.
1992 – 2014
- Royal Adelaide Show.
1992 – 2009
- Queensland State Championships.
1986 – 2014
- Australian National Championships.
1985 – 2015
- NSW State Championships.
1985 – 2014
- Victorian State Championships.
1984 – 1999
- Riverina Championships (Deniliquin).
1984 – 2012
- South Australian State Championships.
1983 – 2012
- Outback Championships (Broken Hill).
