FORT KEARNY, Neb. (KSNB) – The National Pony Express Association is holding its annual commemoration of the Old West mail service with a ride through Nebraska.
The ride began in St. Joseph, Missouri, on Monday and reached central Nebraska early Wednesday morning.
The riders stopped at the Oregon Trail historic marker south of Hastings, the Susan Haile grave marker north of Kenesaw, and Fort Kearny for breakfast. Riders and horses changed at each stop.
Cathy Stevens, president of the Nebraska Division of the National Pony Express Association, said the Pony Express played a big role in developing the country.
“A lot of people may not realize that the Pony Express had a big part in helping create that. I mean, we helped bring the continent together. We helped bring the news. We helped bring President Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural address to California to help them see it into the Union. This is all a part of our history,” Stevens said.
Tenley Payne, a first-time participant in the event, said she learned a lot about her horse during the ride.
“Just figuring out what to do with your horse when your horse isn’t as cooperative, when they’re more nervous, and like other spaces, new spaces, but I had a lot of family and friends that helped me,” Payne said.
The riders will reach California on June 25, with several stops along the way throughout western Nebraska on Wednesday and Thursday.
To find out more about the event, or follow the riders on their journey to California, you can check out the organization’s website.