SUGGESTED GEAR LIST FOR RIDERS

.  Waterproof coat/jacket, leggings & hat

.  Jersey, balaclava, socks, longjohns, gloves

.  Hot weather gear e.g shorts & T shirt

.  Gaiters are a good idea to keep rubbish & rain out of boots

.  Riding boots or boots with a heel suitable for walking

.  Towel & toilet articles

.  Sleeping bag & mat / stretcher

.  Sunscreen & insect repellent

.  Personal items and a roll of loo paper

.  Small first aid kit for you and your horse

.  Camera & torch

.  Your own mug, plates, cutlery & tea towel – unless stated otherwise

.  Don’t forget a wee treat for yourself and your horse

.  Water bottle

.  Personal medications

.  Money for the bar and Host Town

.  Baby wipes are handy when hand washing difficult

CHECK LIST FOR RIDING CAVALCADERS

Please read carefully.  The ultimate safety of your trail depends on these requirements.

1. Remember that your horse is your responsibility.
2. Choose a suitable horse – AVOIDING a stallion, rig, pregnant mare, horses under 5yrs old or any unruly horses!!
3. Ensure your horse is fit – long hours walking fit plus a lot of hill work.
4. If you are travelling long distances to the start of your trail please allow at least 1 rest day for your horse to recover.
5. All horse must be freshly shod and wormed.  Most find selenium beneficial and electrolytes are advisable, especially if weather hot. Also a salt replacement such as Hummidimix and salt blocks are worth considering.
6. Have your horse Vet checked BEFORE starting your trail if you have any doubts at all.  Your Trail Boss has the right to exclude any unfit or unsuitable horse.
7. Avoid dramatic diet changes – if your horse is used to hard feed please bring enough for the days on your trail. Your horse will benefit from a little daily boost of hard feed even if not used to it.
8. Train with the gear you intend to use. Nothing New! All gear needs to be well broken in before the start of your trail.

You will need:

A thick or multiple saddle blankets to avoid sore backs.

Breast plate and cropper for hill work.

Horse cover – the nights are cold in the hills.

Basic grooming and first aid needs. A couple of spare shoes. As your personal gear will be carted for you, all you need to take each day will be wet weather gear, sunblock, camera and whatever personal stuff you may need.  Keep it light.

9. Expect an individual gear and horse check at the start of your trail.  The Trail Boss and the Wranglers will be quietly observing for signs of possible stress of all animals throughout the trail.  Please ensure all blankets and covers are secure on your horse at night.  Night stampedes have been caused by slipping covers and torn straps.
10. Get yourself fit along with your horse and practise walking down steep hills.  If the Trail Boss directs riders to get off and walk, all must do so without exception.
11. Please respect Landowners property and woolsheds.  The cavalcades would simply not be possible without their permission.
12. Please give way to a harness horse if you are a rider – they have to allow for wheels as well as hooves.
13. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or advice.  Your Trail Boss and Wranglers are not babysitters but are there to guide and ensure safety.
14. Your horse must be either trained by you of by the person you may be borrowing it from.  Collecting a horse from the paddock the day before is not on! These horses are easily identified and have a good chance of being stood down.
15. Your horse comes first at the end of the day. No-one leaves their horse until it is unloaded, any cares attended to and it is watered, fed and covered.

It is essential that everyone carry Blisterpads. I can hear you say but I never get blisters but the Cavalcade seems to have an uncanny way of making blisters a first time experience for a lot of people. Band-Aid Blister Packs can be purchased at most Supermarkets.

Daypack large enough to carry wet weather gear, thermals, lunch and personal effects.

Below is a trek being put together by the Waituna West committee of friends & Cavalcade participants.

I mentioned this ride to one or two last year and got the  general feeling, if we were  to shorten the ride up so that it could be done, that is travelling north, ferry crossing and return in just on  a week or a little longer it could be favourably considered.  If someone wants to enjoy our hospitaliity for longer, between us, I’m sure we will be able to find other places to go for smaller or expanded rides.  We understand the cost of travelling across the “ditch”, your riding time needs to be “make the most of it” , so a 5 day ride is being offered. Or we can expand into another area.  All you have to do is ask, (but give me plenty of warning).

Please pass this message onto as many as you like, we need you, who have the South Island contacts, to be prepared to do that for everyone to have a good time.

Below in red, is what Marj is offering.  You are welcome to contact her direct or if you have a special question re: ferry crossing, please come to me direct, either on my work email (best) or here on my home one. 063273605 (hm) 06 3490508 (wk) Mon – Fri

Look forward to hearing from you.

kind regards Carol

work;  carol.rickards@wanganui.govt.nz or hm;  carolrick@xtra.co.nz

NORTHERN  MANAWATU/RANGITIKEI  HILL COUNTRY

HERITAGE TRAIL RIDE.

We are planning to hold the above trail ride between Monday 26^th March – Friday 30^th March, 2012,.   We are inviting the South Island riders first before we include any North Island riders.   Limited numbers.

The programme which we are working on at the moment is:-

Sunday 25^th March          Arrive at the Waituna West Hall, north of Feilding. Light meal provided.

Monday 26^th March         Riding from Waituna West to Rangiwahia (further north)

Tuesday 27^th March        Riding from Rangiwahia to Mangaweka

Wednesday 28^th March    Riding in the Mangaweka area

Thursday 29^th March       Leaving Mangaweka and riding north to Mokai in the foot hills of The Ruahine Ranges.

Friday 30th March           Riding in the Mokai area – Packing Up – Evening Party

Saturday 31^st March        Depart for Home

#                           Waituna West is approximately 2 ½ hours driving from Wellington and Mokai which is in the Taihape region would be approximately  3 ½ hour drive back to Wellington.

#                           All meals will be supplied – a bar will be available for purchasing your evening supplies.   Entertainment available.

#                           Cost will be $550 per rider     -     $ 400  per driver

Expressions of interest ASAP with deposit of $100 by the

1^st February, 2012. would be appreciated.

Payable to the Waituna West Hall,

C/- Marj Shannon, Benson Road, R.D. 9

Feilding, along with your full details.   Phone 06 3286 894 evenings or 06 323 9393 during day.   Marj.Keith.Shannon@xtra.co.nz

#                           We would appreciate if you could pass this on to other riders within your areas, and let us know ASAP if you would be interested in taking part.

#                           To bring your horses and all their supplies and for yourself all bedding etc, and maybe a tent for sleeping etc.   In Waituna West, Rangiwahia and Mokai the halls in the area or shearers quarters will be available.   We are still working on availability of sleeping arrangements in the Mangaweka area.

If you do need your vehicle for accommodation, you will need to bring a camp mother.

#                           We will be able to transport all your requirements to each over night stay.

#                           We are able to offer you a discounted fare with either Bluebridge or the Inter Island ferries similar to what is available for the North Islanders when they travel South.

To get this offer all bookings must be done through Carol Rickards one of our members who travels south most years.

Contact carol.rickards@wanganui.govt.nz or

phone 06 3490508.

#                           More details after the New Year.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Kind Regards,  Marj Shannon.

REPLY FORM

NAME:……………………………………..   PHONE:………………………

ADDRESS:…………………………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………………………………………

DEPOSIT:…………..… RIDER:……………….  DRIVER:……………….

To download a registration form click here.

To download a registration booklet click here. (The information in the booklet is the same as when you click on these trails below.)

Chris Bayne – (Trail is now full) Tussock Creek light wagons – maximum of 70. Starting in the vicinity of Mossburn – Garston – Nevis – Bannockburn

Tony Cumberbeach – Speight’s heavy wagons – maximum of 55. Starting from Cattle Flat – Nokomai – Nevis – Bannockburn

Stu Moore – Riding – maximum of 80. Starting from Roxburgh – Nevis – Bannockburn

Alastair Gibson (Trail is now full)– Riding – maximum of 70 Starting from Omarama – Lindis – Queensberry – Mt. Pisa

Jane Whitmore – Riding -  maximum of 70. (taking over from Steve Vickers who took over from Winston Parks) Arrowtown – Macetown day trip – Waitiri Station – Lowburn

Gandy Burrows and April Hill  (instead of Alice Stewart next year) Speight’s Pack Horse Traverse maximum of 30. Starting from Lindis – St. Bathans – Matakanui – Clyde – Bannockburn

Tony Roderique – Riding – maximum of 70. 3 days at Matakanui followed by 3 days in Bannockburn

Murray MacMillan and Edgar Parcel (Trail is now full)(Out of retirement again) Riding – maximum of 25. Greenstone, Mt. Nicolas, Cecil Peak, barge to Staircase Creek, Lochlinnie, Nevis, Bannockburn

Sandra Cain –(Trail is now full) Walking – maximum of 50. Starting near Roxburgh – Knobby range – Alex – Earnscleugh – Bannockburn

Matthew Sole – Walking – maximum of 40. Starting at Oturehua – Blackstone Hill – Becks – Thompsons Gorge – Bendigo

Peter Dymock – (Trail is now full)Walking – maximum of 12. Starting near Garston – Blue lakes – Garvies – Patterson Hutt – Bannockburn

Morley Williams – Walking – maximum of 30. Based at the Bannockburn School Camp – 3 individual day-walks: Northburn Station, Cairnmure Station and Pipe Clay Gulley.

Special new trail for the keen of spirit but less athletically able – sharing accommodation at the Bannockburn school camp and caterers with Morley Williams’ day walkers. Bruce McMillan will be leading 4WD excursions around Bannockburn, Nevis and Bendigo to check out the outstanding gold mining heritage areas close to Cromwell.

The shirts for Cromwell 2012 - going back to basic's $35

We had a good trail Boss meeting recently and the initial trail information is attached at the bottom of this email.

First up we had a good AGM in Lawrence three weeks ago followed by a very informative field weekend. For minutes from the meeting please click here. For a report from the weekend (and some photos) please click here.

Many of you have paid your membership sub already and we thank you very much for that. If you haven’t yet please either click here to do it on-line or post us a cheque for $50 single or $70 couple to OGHT, PO Box 91 Cromwell, 9342.

We expect to have full trails coming into Cromwell for the 150^th celebrations of gold in the area. The Cromwell Host Town have re-assembled the same band and fiddler as last time – if you weren’t here in 1998 ask someone who was – they’ll tell you it was one of the best Hoe-downs of all time! Click here for a YouTube clip of the band and a couple of cavalcade shots include in there too! Also this year we will be quite strict on maximum numbers per trail – the Trail Bosses are too bloody accommodating so this year I’ll be making the decision and the answer will be no more room!  So check out the trails below and if you absolutely ‘have to’ be on one in particular best you make sure you’re a paid-up member. (Financial members of the Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust get priority over non members for entries received before December – entries are available from 1^st November).

***Please note!*** These trail descriptions are just proposed at this stage – not confirmed. This is just to give you an idea.

Special new trail for the keen of spirit but less athletically able – sharing accommodation at the Bannockburn school camp and caterers with Morley Williams’ day walkers. Bruce McMillan will be leading 4WD excursions around Bannockburn, Nevis and Bendigo to check out the outstanding gold mining heritage areas close to Cromwell. (David and Jean this should be right up your ally!)

Chris Bayne – Tussock Creek light wagons – maximum of 70. Starting in the vicinity of Mossburn – Garston – Nevis – Bannockburn

Tony Cumberbeach – Speight’s heavy wagons – maximum of 55. Starting from Cattle Flat – Nokomai – Nevis – Bannockburn

Stu Moore – maximum of 75. Starting from Roxburgh – Nevis – Bannockburn

Alistair Gibson – maximum of 65? Starting from Omarama – Queensberry – Mt. Pisa

Jane Whitmore (taking over from Steve Vickers who took over from Winston Parks) Arrowtown – Macetown day trip – Waitiri Station – Lowburn

Gandy Burrows (instead of Alice Stewart next year) maximum of 25. Starting from Lindis – St. Bathans – Matakanui – Clyde – Bannockburn

Tony Roderique – maximum of 60. 3 days at Matakanui followed by 3 days in Bannockburn

Murray MacMillan and Edgar Parcel (Out of retirement again) maximum of 30. Greenstone, Mt. Nicolas, Cecil Peak, Kingston, Nokomai, Nevis, Bannockburn

Sandra Cain – maximum of 50. Starting near Roxburgh – Knobby range – Alex – Earnscleugh – Bannockburn

Peter Dymock – maximum of 12. Starting near Garston – Blue lakes – Garvies – Patterson Hutt – Bannockburn

Morley Williams – maximum of 20. Based at the Bannockburn School Camp – 3 individual day-walks

Thanks very much for your support over the years and I hope to see many of you in Cromwell next Feb!

Terry Davis

Otago Goldfields Heritage Trust

P O Box 91

Cromwell 9342

03 445 0111

021 284 6844

www.goldfieldstrust.org.nz

www.cavalcade.co.nz

The Weather was great (maybe a tad windy in parts), the trails were challenging, scenic and varied, and Oamaru proved to be a great host town and what a party at the Hoe-down!

Click to view slideshow.

Click here to download a horse or walk trail registration form.

Click here to download a pdf of all the celebration information.

The Lawrence Tuapeka community is gearing up to celebrate the 150th anniversary of perhaps the most significant discovery in New Zealand’s history – gold.

Gold, in the payable form, was first struck by Gabriel Read near Lawrence on 25th May 1861. Read, an Australian-born prospector was initially told he was on a ‘wild goose chase’ but his discovery, in the gully that now bears his name, changed the course of history and laid a foundation for both Otago and New Zealand. By July 1861, the Tuapeka area was very much immersed in the gold rush, with the district’s population swelling to over 11,000 compared to the less than 6,000 in Dunedin at the time.

In 2011, attention will again turn to Lawrence as it celebrates 150 years since what was essentially the birth of our nation. Realising the significance of such an occasion, the Lawrence Community will be hosting a four day celebration, Gabriel’s Gully Goldrush 150th from Friday 18th to Monday 21st March 2011.

The four day celebration will feature a drama which re-enacts the Goldrush with treks and walks to take us back in time to the 1860’s. With music, historical tours and displays, visual art, drama and family games and fun, there’s something for everyone, young or old.

Come and celebrate the past connecting with the present and be part of this national celebration.

Click here for their event webpage.

Chris Baynes “Tussock Creek Light Wagons” and Sandra Cains “Glencoe Gadabouts” trails are both full. If you have NOT been contacted to say “very sorry but you’ve missed out” then you can assume you are on the trail.

If you have booked on any other trail you can also assume you are confirmed on there (unless the Trail Boss has rung you to say that they don’t think you’re up to it).

Most other trails are close to, if not over half full already. So tell all your mates and get your entries in asap to secure your spot.

The Trail Bosses have done another fantastic job of sorting out some really special country for you to cavalcade through and the Oamaru Host Town committee have obviously got the big tick of approval with more Hoe-down tickets sold than cavalcaders so far!! (That’s just through registrations where folk are buying an extra couple of tickets for their supporters.) If you want that ticket you better order it with your registration too chances are it could also fill up.

Haven’t got your registration forms yet?
Download one from here http://cavalcade.co.nz/
If you’re on ‘Dial-up’ internet ring me on 03 4450111 (might have to leave a message) with your name, address and how many forms you want and I’ll get them straight in the mail to you.

Christmas is coming up and what an awesome Christmas prezzie an entry to next years Cavalcade would be. Also don’t forget Swanndri give all Cavalcaders (and their friends and family) 20% off everything from their web sales – just go to www.swanndri.co.nz and enter ‘cavalcade’ in the promo box.

All the best for a great summer season.

I look forward to seeing lots of you in Oamaru.

Roberta Laraman.

Photos thanks to Kylie Pape