(Editor’s note: In 1983, the following account of the Navajo County Sheriff’s Hashknife Posse Pony Express Ride was given by the late Roy Downing, a founder of the posse with then Sheriff L. Ben Pearson.) Roy Downing, a resident of Holbrook for 34 years, was responsible for the organization of the Navajo County Sheriff’s Posse in 1954 with L. Ben Pearson, then sheriff of Navajo County. It was organized to meet the need for a search and rescue team for the area, and was in operation by 1955. Four years later, in 1959, Downing and Ernest Hulet, Holbrook postmaster at the time, started to work on getting permission to start a Pony Express ride to carry the U.S. mail from Holbrook to the Valley. After being turned down by his supervisor, Hulet wrote to the Postmaster General in Washington, D.C., making his request for the annual pony express ride. The official responded that if the posse riders would submit to a swearing-in ceremony before each ride and follow regulations pertaining to handling the official mail and to protecting it, then Hulet could authorize the ride. Since that time, the posse has been sworn in each year to carry the mail, with 1983 marking the 25th anniversary of the pony express ride. Downing has participated in each of the rides as a charter member of the Hashknife. This year he is to be one of the trail markers. He remembers best 1960, when the route was to be over the Mogollon Rim to Payson, but the rim road was closed with 38 inches of snow. Being advised that the Beeline Highway (State Route 87) south of Winslow was open, they decided on this route. Going on McLaws Road to arrive at the Beeline about 16 miles south of Winslow, they found there had been a heavy snowfall during the night. Making the relay at this point were Cephas Perkins and Cecil King, and they decided the mail must go through and since the highway was closed both north and south of Strawberry, they decided to go over the mountain to Pine. The others got to Pine before they did, and several hours later King and Perkins arrived after covering 15 miles of snow-covered ground. They had to walk ahead of their mounts and pack the snow down for the horses to make it. In spots it was up to five feet deep and the trip took them about nine hours to make. Downing said the two possemen had determination and durability to overcome such a hazardous undertaking, but if the mail had not gotten through, it could have resulted in the cancellation of the pony express authorization by postal officials. He noted that this was the most important ride of all, one that kept the pony express ride going.