Toughen Up founder and committee member Lynn Lennon said so far, the feedback has been positive. 

“We’re still waiting for some negatives – that’s how we’ve improved,” she said. She said the committee worried returning participants might find the event stale in its fifth incarnation, but their planning paid off. 

“All the adults, they felt that it had a new feel to it, and whether that was the separation from the children, or the new obstacles we incorporated,” Lynn said. 

Organisers pared the event into two days, with under 14s competing on Friday night and the rest hitting Inverell Rugby Park on Saturday. Lynn said separating the two sections helped them organise better, without the stress of rushing from one major event to the next, and relish the moment. 

“(Previously) we couldn’t really sit around and celebrate, and enjoy the moment with the parents, like we got to do this year, chat to people, get feedback, and discuss how their kids felt, and interview the kids, which is one of our emcees was doing,” she said.

“Then on the Saturday they could have time to themselves. and enjoy the moment, so for everyone – the competitors, the parents, probably the kids, and us, I think we’re on to a winner with that one.”

“The kids, they were just stoked – they got to play in the mud more, to do the tyre-flip and the sandbag carry like the adults,” she said. This year, the committee allowed the more energetic and slightly older children to play in the mud as many times as they liked.

“And that’s actually given us some ideas for next year.” Lynn said, who added that part of the course was not just attractive to the kids. 

“I actually had a lady said that, that everyone, whether they admitted it or not, they liked to play in the mud, and we basically give them permission to play in the mud.” 

Men’s Competitive/Fastest time:

Women’s Competitive:

Mixed Competitive:

Non-competitive first place awards: