The 59th annual Pony Express Ride from Holbrook to Scottsdale carrying the U.S. Mail begins this morning (Feb. 8) with shouts of “Hashknife!” carrying across the crisp morning air.
This ride begins at 8 a.m. when a posse rider leaves the Holbrook Post Office with the first bag of letters to be carried over the Mogollon Rim and on to Scottsdale.
The riders will be led by Sheriff K.C. Clark, with Mark Reynolds as captain of the posse, Steve Reynolds as first lieutenant and swing boss, Jim Mobley as second lieutenant and Pat Nichols as first sergeant.
Hashknife Posse riders taking part include swing bosses Tim Kelley and Justin Deaton, Dan Buckingham, Sam Buckingham, Greg Long, Scott Self, John Veenedahl, John Dolan, Shawn Kakuku, Mike Meyers, Aaron Colon, Jason Lewis, Ted Graffe, Ron Cummings, Byron Shelendewa, Travis Chavez, Austin Hanson, Joe Chavez, Walter Pacheco, Dillon DeWitt, Joe Perez, Martin Vargas, Tommy Allen, Steve Thomas and Gary Hayes.
The support crew for the ride includes Dan Bielefeldt and Mike Hall.
Those providing security include Wayne Lesperance, Shane Robertson, Mark Jackson, Scott Badger, Jack Arend, Bob Price and Doyce Stuart.
The judges who observe how well the riders ride properly, the handoffs and the speed of horse are Bill Bridwell, Tom Cernier and Mark Salem.
The cooks who will be feeding those on the ride include Fizzy Chavez, Efren Chavez, Efren Chavez Jr. and Travis Bix.
The mail will arrive at the Payson Post Office at 4:45 p.m. today. On Thursday, riders will arrive at the Fountain Hills Post Office at 3 p.m. On Friday, the riders leave from their Verde River campsite at 9 a.m. and will arrive at noon at the Museum of the West, located at Second Street and Marshall Way in Scottsdale.
