THE WEMBLEY COWBOYS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19195, 11 June 1924, Page 7

THE WEMBLEY COWBOYS

TAUGHT RESPECT FOR THE THAMES. TRAGEDY NARROWLY AVERTED Pr»a» Association —By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, June 9. Extraordinary scenes were witnessed by thousands of spectators at Kew Bridge, when two cowboys tried to swim the swollen Thames on horses. They were swept off in midstream, and narrowly escaped drowning. As a ersult of this episode the horse race across the Thames, in which o 9 Wembley cowboys were to participate, was abandoned. Floundering through. 4ft of Thames mud the cowboys (Aldrich and Walker) urged their horses into the deep water, where they were caught by a strong flood -current and swept like corks downstream The crowd had hitherto regarded the affair as a joke, but they now realised that the men and horses were fighting for their lives. A rowboat, which contained a cow boy with a lassoo and Walker’s sister (who is a champion swimmer), made desperate efforts to reach them. Walker was rescued, and his exhausted horse lassooed and tied to the boat. Meanwhile Aldrich, who was unable to swim, was unseated, and disappeared downstream. When his head reappeared. Miss Walker plunged in, piloted the cowboy to the shore. The horse reached the bank.—A. and N.Z. Gable.