Cowboy takes the long road south
Turning back the clock to simpler times Joe Guy and his sons are journeying through the South Island on horseback.
The trio arrived in New Zealand a month ago to get horses and supplies for their 1000 kilometre-plus journey through the top of the south that will see them pass through Nelson and Marlborough before heading south to Invercargill.
Guy and his sons Jay, 15, and Zac, 18, started their trek south of Wakefield before they dropped over the hills of Trass Valley and stopped at Jane Mitchell’s door.
They set themselves up in a nearby barn.
Guy, who has mostly been a loneventurer, spent the past few days sharing his 27-years of equine experience, relaying some of his tales he has gathered in the almost 26,000 kilometres he has spent travelling by horse.
He started his long trek aged 18 when he bought two horses and a rifle.
He then headed to the Australian outback and lived off the land for two years.
‘‘I found it changed me more than anything. It taught me a lot about the horses,’’ he said.
Since going bush as a teenager, Guy has ridden across Canada, America and after finishing his bushland tour of New Zealand will head to Europe, starting in Spain with a goal to clock up 32,000 kilometres.
‘‘Then I’m chasing my 25,000 miles [40,000 kilometres] two years after. I’ll go from America through to Mexico to South America.’’
Guy, who calls himself a cowboy, has preferred the company of horses, the ground to a bed and the challenge of discovering the wilderness of the world.
His equine companion for this New Zealand journey is a former rodeo horse.
He said his aim when choosing horses was to rescue them ‘‘from going to glue’’.
‘‘She was a bucking horse so he [the owner] was going to shoot her and feed her to his dogs,’’ Guy said.
‘‘I grabbed her and broke her in and she’s my ride now. She will hopefully get me back to Invercargill.’’
He said while he had inspired many people along the way to follow their passions, life on the road was a tough one.
‘‘It’s not for everyone. If you’re not passionate about doing this you shouldn’t be here. For me, it’s my life,’’ he said.
‘‘I intend to do this until I can’t do it anymore and hopefully that’s the end of me anyway because I couldn’t imagine not riding.’’
Guy travels light, carrying a knife and a small cooking pot he uses to make tea and cook grub. He is careful not to leave soapy residue it doubles as a shaving pot.
Now he’s passing his skills onto his children.
Together they hope to cover about 40 kilometres a day. At night they find a quiet riverbank and sleep under the stars, or find the hospitality of a nearby farm.
‘‘I’m chasing miles. The boys are with me this year, so for them it’s about learning a bit more horsemanship and for me it’s a warm up for Spain,’’ Guy said.
Jay rode through the South Island last year with his father and is ready to tackle an even bigger adventure. He said the time on the road would help him decide if a life in the equine industry was for him.
Zac trialled a ‘‘long ride’’ across Canada.
New Zealand is his chance to delve into his mind. ‘‘I needed some time to think and out here, I will get a lot of time to do that.’’