The Pony Categorical Rides Once more

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This week, mail fanatics, horseback riders and onlookers are celebrating the Pony Categorical’ 163rd anniversary with an almost 2,000-mile trek from Outdated Sacramento, Calif., to St. Joseph, Mo.

The Nationwide Pony Categorical Affiliation, together with the U.S. Postal Service, will host the annual experience wherein 1,500 postal clients may have their mail delivered to the Midwest in 10 days, via the identical system used for 18 months in 1860 and 1861.

“It’s a big-rooted occasion in time,” stated Gina Segura, a USPS spokeswoman. “It’s simply a good way to maintain the historical past of Sacramento intertwined with the postal service.”

The occasion is about to start on the official Pony Categorical statue in Outdated Sacramento at 1:30 p.m. PDT June 7 and will probably be carried out over a 10-day interval, 24 hours a day with riders switching off each 10 miles — similar to the Outdated West riders would do.

The riders will depart Sacramento at 2 p.m. PDT, in keeping with the affiliation’s web site. A rider will arrive in St. Joseph round 7:30 p.m. CDT on June 17.

What Is the Pony Categorical?

In accordance with the Nationwide Park Service, the Pony Categorical was a way of connecting the East to the West. Attributable to 1000’s transferring west on the Oregon Path on account of the Gold Rush, folks wanted a quicker solution to ship mail throughout the Rocky Mountains. The Pony Categorical quickly grew to become the quickest solution to ship a letter.

The Pony Categorical stuffed this want pre-Civil Struggle, predating western railroad enlargement and the coast-to-coast telegraph, in keeping with the Smithsonian Nationwide Postal Museum.

A rider prepares to mount up in Nebraska throughout a previous 12 months occasion. (Mary Cone by way of nationalponyexpress.org)

Who Is Using the Pony Categorical?

600 riders will participate within the occasion carrying the normal mochila, or rucksack, which was used within the 1800s.

To start, riders from the NPEA’s state divisions will meet to take the normal Pony Categorical Oath earlier than starting their course to Missouri.

“There’s an oath that the rider should take previous to their journey, and we’ll be sending off our letters. Only one,500 fortunate clients can get their letters on the horse to make its journey throughout the states,” USPS’ Segura stated.

Sacramento Postmaster Tanya Toedt-Fitzharris will do the swear-in for this 12 months’s riders.

Why Do We Nonetheless Commemorate the Pony Categorical?

Though the unique Pony Categorical was a small occasion in American historical past, the NPEA, USPS and historical past buffs commemorate the occasion yearly to maintain its custom and significance alive.

“The Postal Service acquired concerned, as a result of the Sacramento postmaster began sending letters of sisterhood to Missouri,” Segura stated. “We thought it will be a enjoyable, distinctive solution to get that throughout.”

Segura stated the Sacramento Postal Buyer Council started writing these letters of sisterhood three years in the past and sending them on the horse. Missouri hopped on board and began sending letters again in fellowship.

California State NPEA President Wealthy Tatman stated that though the Pony Categorical was a brief chapter in historical past, it is very important preserve its story alive.

“So many issues are dying out from our historic standpoint,” stated Tatman. “That is one thing that a number of our founding members thought could be a great factor.”

Whereas the Pony Categorical is one thing that Tatman stated is essential to historical past, the NPEA is dropping its members and curiosity from others, as a result of it’s more durable to get youthful folks concerned.

The best way to Monitor the Horses

The NPEA began conserving a real-time GPS location on the riders as they journey throughout the states. You may join alerts or test the web site for updates.

Need extra information? Hearken to as we speak’s every day briefing beneath or go right here for more information: