Dunedin man Tony Cumberbeach is this week completing his 19th Goldfields Cavalcade - but he hasn't ridden a horse yet.
The trail boss of the Heavy Wagon Trail travels by 4WD and that is how he has always done it - loving horses but never owning them.
''I don't want a horse. They're too high maintenance,'' he remarked.
Mr Cumberbeach is leading about 90 people travelling in wagons and riding horses on the Heavy Wagon Trail, which began in the Lindis Valley on Sunday and will converge with the cavalcade's other eight trails on Omakau on Saturday.
The Heavy Wagon cavalcaders enjoyed a rest day near Tarras yesterday, when they were joined by the Tarras School's 14 pupils.
Stagecoach rides for pupils were followed by a show of generosity from cavalcaders, who enjoyed supporting country schools, Mr Cumberbeach said.
The cavalcaders did a ''whip round'' and donated more than $400 to the school, in line with the imaginary ''heists'' that were sometimes staged for visiting school groups, he said.
He said the cavalcaders had enjoyed the good weather and ''old friends'' of the trail.
''It's like a family reunion. In fact now we've started a mid-year gathering of those who do the wagon trail as well. We invite everyone and meet up mid-year somewhere else, without horses.''
