Live Tent Pegging Demonstrations

Peter McLaughlan on Chloe doing a tent pegging demonstration

Light Horse tent pegging dates back to the Boer War and the Mounted Rifles.  The Horsemen would ride through the enemy camp in the middle of the night and remove the pegs from the tents where soldiers were sleeping. The tents would collapse on the sleeping enemy causing chaos. The enemy didn’t have a chance, against swords or bayonets, and were easily defeated.

Today tent pegging is a training exercise showing great skill and horsemanship.  Highly skilled horsemen still compete in tent pegging competitions both locally and internationally.

The museum is lucky to have the Qld champion tent pegger as a member. Peter McLaughlan is also a rider with Outback Spectacular. Weather permitting, live demonstrations of tent pegging are part of school excursion programs and pre-booked bus tours.