Tonya Carew (Listeners’ Choice)

Only Sell Quality and Have a Good Understanding of What People Need

(Listeners’ Choice)

By Popular Demand we have re-published this episode. Each weekend we are choosing the most listened to and commented on episodes for you to enjoy.

This interview was previously published in 2018 – Tonya Carew (242)

About Tonya
– Tonya’s love of horses started as a young child on her uncles fairy farm. She doesn’t really remember learning to ride because she was on a horse being led about as a child.

Tonya started at the Wynnum Pony Club in 1966 when she was 10 with her brother and parents by her side. Pony Club became her life, her passion, her love and each and every weekend something was happening in Pony Club.
Eventually as time went on Tonya was on Junior Committees, Zone Committees and State Committees, on the Zone 1 Chief Instructors Panel for many years and instructed many children all over the State.

Tonya judged, course built and did just about everything there was to do, and had an amazing team of Zone 1 riders giving displays of Musical Rides at Shows all over south east Queensland. Her father was also on the Zone Chief Instructors Panel and President of Zone 1 for many years. Tonya’s entire family were involved in some way or another, mum being the ever faithful burger flipper and supplier of extra boots, horses and gear to many ‘stray’ children who ventured into their house and who wanted to ride. She lost count of the number of children my parents sponsored and helped start their lives with horses.

Tonya bred horses for many years, breaking them in at the old Bothwicks Meat Works, and bred the last filly on the ground by the incredible Souvenir from Victoria. That filly ‘Khivenir’ was an amazing mare who was campaigned successfully by Sheridan Woods for many years on the show jumping circuit. There was as a family, a strong interest in harness, with shetlands and clydsdales and vehicles and harness they were successful competitors in the harness ring.

After being married and having 3 boys, the boys all started in Pony Club as soon as they were about 18 mths old, Tonya led them around on Shetland Ponies all of which had been bred by her mother who had Laguna Shetland Stud.

Tonya left the Pony Club movement after probably 40 years of membership to encourage her boys in the passion for polo-cross. They travelled the state for the boys to play polo-cross with the Warwick Club, one of the most fascinating horse sports with a huge focus on family involvement and commitment to fitness of both horse and rider. After 2010 when the boys has all finished school, so too did their competition days cease. Tonya’s son Ben has most of their horses these days which he works on his property in Monto with his wife Alexis.

Tonya continued with her passion of ponies and harness and have always had something to feed and ride. Crazy at her age but fun.

Tonya now sells horse floats and the agent for Riviera Floats WA. This came about through misfortune of buying two Chinese floats that were disasters. But good things come from bad, and through this experience she met Dale and Kristy Gavenlock from WA and they asked if she would like to be an agent for selling their floats here in Qld.

To be sure she wasn’t falling into the same trap of dodgy horse floats, Tonya met with Kristy and Dale and we had long and extensive conversations about how they have developed their company to be the highest selling floats in WA for a number of years. She then did her due diligence and interviewed people who had purchased the Riviera Floats, Tonya looked at them, and studied their engineering and design specs to be sure she was taking on a fabulous product. Tonya also quickly came to understand that Dale and Kristy were very genuine and credible people who she felt sure that she could form a very professional working relationship with.

Its early days but selling the Riviera Floats and so far clients are very happy with their floats. The stigma of dodgy Chinese floats has a long history on the eastern seaboard, and some buyers will never be convinced. But at the same time there are clients out their who after inspecting the Riviera, are more than happy to buy a float and enjoy the comforts they bring not only financially but practically. These are beaut floats and she is very confident to put her name to them.

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Tonya’s Favourite Inspirational Quote
– The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the next best time is today

Who Has Inspired Tonya
– Vic Gough (At 83 he stopped competing in campdrafting but is still travelling around horse events as a keen observer.)
– Dale and Kristy Gavenlock
– Sandra Pearson Adams
– Tonya’s Father Bob Goss
– Peter Bondfield
– Ned Twohill

About This Episode
– Tonya discusses the importance of servicing your float, trailer and checking that your float is not rusting from the inside out.

Time Stamps
01:50 – The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the next best time is today
03:00 – Going to Tonya’s Great Uncles farm at Kilkivan and being forever on a horse
04:45 – The imported Chinese horse floats (camper trailer and other float) being off balance
08:09 – Gettng a horse float – speak to other people, do your research
09:30 – Know about horses and understanding of what people want and need, be patient
12:00 – Understnad the level of where you/student is at
12:50 – The passion, family orientated
14:50 – How Tonya’s father has inspired her
17:11 – How ‘Souvineer’ has inspired Tonya
18:41 – ‘Khivenir’ was an amazing mare who was campaigned successfully by Sheridan Woods & Tonya’s three boys on the Warwick Polo-cross team
20:22 – Finances, commitment to the team especially in polo-cross and keeping horses fit
22:35 – Check the tail gate, the floor and balance of your trailer(float). Floats rust out from the inside. Check what is underneath the float
25:00 – Floats need to be serviced
26:15 – The 7 Habists of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey
28:00 – Seek first to understand and then be understood
29:11 – Riviera Horse Floats – travel and horse events
30:52 – Don’t wait until tomorrow for it might never come. Seize opportunities as they come. Life can be shorter than you expect
31:15 – Contact: see details below

Tonya’s Contact Details
Phone: 0467 554 114 or +61 467 554 114
Email: tonya@stirlingfloats.com.au
Website: www.stirlingfloats.com.au
Facebook: Stirling Floats

Music
BenSound.com

When Tonya is a return guest on Horse Chats, what question would you like to ask her?
(Please leave comment below)