LONG HORSEBACK RIDE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLV, Issue 177, 30 June 1925, Page 4

LONG HORSEBACK RIDE.

RIDER COVERS 424 MILES

SHANNON .TO NORTH AUCKLAND

Long horseback rides, which were taken as a matter of course in the old days before the arrival of the locomotive and the motor car, come as very rare events in modern times. Added interest, therefore, is given to the journey completed a short time ago by Mr Mauria Burke, of Ahuroa, North Auckland. Setting out from Shannon, 21 miles south of Palmerston North, he rode 424 miles in varying stages' to Ahuroa, covering. the entire distance on horseback without the slightest mishap. Mr Burke spent 11 days in actual travel, and broke his journey at Te Awamutu, where he had a week’s holiday. His speed average 4 2-3 miles un hour, which was fairly good going considering tile fact that the horse carried a load of over lost, including a cowboy saddle. The animal, a mare, arrived in good condition after her long journey and was perfectly free from sores or ailments. The following table shows the various stages of the journey, together witli the distances covered and the times taken :

In journeying on from Drury, tile rider did not pass through Auckland, but proceeded northward via Te Fapapa. As mentioned above, a week elapsed at Te Awamutu.

Stage. Miles. Hrs. Sliannonl’alnicrston N. ... Fri. 21 4 Palmerston A'.-Marton ... Sat. 27 7 Marton-Taihape ... Sun. 52 9 Taihape-Ohakune ... ... Mon. 34 9 Ohakune-Taumarunui ... Tues. 52 11 Taumarunui-To Kuiti . . Wed. 54 11 To Kuiti-Tc Awamulu . .. Thurs. 33 6 Tc Awamutu-X'garuawaliiu Thurs. 29 6 Ngar u a \vu h i a -I) r u ry ... Fri. 48 12 Drury-Woodliill ... Sat. 50 11 Woodhill-Ohuroa ... ... Sun. 24 5 11 days. 424 91