BACKGROUND & INFORMATION

Rich Old History, New Golden Adventures

The CAVALCADE: Key Details The Cavalcade is not “a walk in the park.”

• A moderate to high level of fitness is required for all trails: for both horse and participant. Your level of fitness could either enhance or detract from your Cavalcade experience, hence preparation is the key.
• Riding Trail participants will need their own fit horse.
• All participants must be over 16 years of age.
• Each trail is led by a volunteer Trail Boss, Wranglers and Leaders who have planned their trails and are outstanding guides to direct you on your Cavalcade trail.
• Trail fees include all meals, accommodation, agistment and hay for horses etc. and gear transport whilst on the trail.
• There is a separate and optional charge for the host town’s evening “hoe-down” party and dinner on Saturday night and Sunday morning’s breakfast. These tickets are cheaper to Cavalcaders if ordered at registration and will be delivered to your trail at your last night’s stop.

Participants are responsible for themselves and if applicable, their horses. Fitness for both horse and participant is very important, it is recommended that hill work play a vital role in your preparation for the Cavalcade. Stamina, rather than speed is the important consideration- long hours walking fitness. The days may be long, but the rewards are great.

Logistics
Participants are entirely responsible for getting themselves and their horses (if applicable) to the start of their trails, and for arranging pick up at the completion of their trail. However, most trails would have organised a means to transport vehicles from the start to the completion of the trail. This service, known as “vehicle ferrying” does incur an extra charge, at the participant’s expense.

Accommodationon the trail is usually quite basic, in keeping with the historical nature of the Cavalcade, some trails may sleep in woolsheds or community halls or in some cases, you may have your own tent. The host town’s accommodation is usually a tent town. Your gear could be carried in your own vehicle, or ferried to the host town in your trails back-up vehicles. These details will be outlined and clarified in this year’s registration form. If you choose to have your own vehicle and back-up driver, they must also register as a participant.

	Wagons Travel through the hills in style, wagon style! Appreciate the landscape atop a wagon and let the hills pass you by. Riders are welcome on heavey wagon trails but the pace is set by the wagons. Please note that there is room for some passengers on the heavey wagon trail. There are usually two wagon trails: a heavey wagon and a light wagon trail. wagon cavalcaders enjoy the best of both worlds, great scenary, adventure and some comfort in the evening. Riders need to bring their own back-up vehicle and driver ubless they have an agreement or connection to a wagon. Self catering.
	Riders Delight yourself and your horse by riding across the hills and rivers of Otago. There may be up to 4 different trail options, to cater to different levels of experience, your version of adventure and preference of trail length. Your horse will thank you, your bum may not!
	Walkers The walking trails on the cavalcade are an excellent way to tramp across Otago, accessing land and tracks that are not normally available to the public. Average daily distances will be between 15-30km. It is important that walkers on Cavalcade trails understand the need for a good level of general fitness and appropriate footware. The walking trails retrace the very steps the gold miners took to seek their fortunes. as walkers, you will be able to witness and experience similar trails and landscapes as faced by those old timers.