An 11 Year-old’s Perfect Day

From a contributer who wishes to remain anonymous.

Private collection

When we first moved to Tauranga in 1949, I was lent a pony called ‘Soppy.’ (I thought this was the cruelest name for a beautiful Palamino. Years later I learned it’s real name was Aesop.)

Aerial photo of Waihi Road, Kopurererua, about 1945-47. Judea Road, lower right; Waihi Road through middle; saleyards bottom left, entrance to which became Roberts Road; opposite is space from where Churchill Road was formed; Melrose home in open space on right
Image courtesy of Tauranga City Libraries, Ref. 07-353

On a Saturday morning I would join a group of young riders and we would set off across the Waikareao Estuary from the bottom of Elizabeth Street towards Coach Drive. Once we got across the channel we would veer off towards the track up to Goods Rd where Pony club was held in the big front paddock of the Good’s farm. The two-storey stucco homestead is still there, now with it’s entrance off Milton Rd. I think they were an English couple with a son, and a daughter Mary, who also rode. Mostly we would take a packed lunch and there was always fruit available for us to help ourselves to. My memories are of tearing around for a few hours on our ponies playing games on horseback and it was all lots of fun.

Our route home was dependent on how far in the tide was. If it was full tide we went north along Goods Rd to Pillans Rd, Grange Rd, Otumoetai Rd, down a steep clay track to Brookers Rd, back onto Otumoetai Rd, and along Sutherland Rd , Judea Rd and onto Waihi Rd. If there was enough dry sand we would head across the estuary between the Urupa on Motupae Island, up the track beside the Judea Pa, along Judea Road and turn down Waihi Road opposite the saleyards.

Otuomoetai Road, circa 1950
Image by Alf Rendell. Reproduced with permission

After crossing the Kopurererua Stream bridge I always hoped that the others would not take off too early as they would go tearing along the right hand side of the road, and up the steep stock track to 12th Ave. I never fell off but there were some near misses. Luckily the ponies would be very out of breath at the top and I could collect my wits and check my over-the-shoulder satchel.

We would then ride sedately along Edgecumbe Rd to 6th Ave, go down another steepish track to the ‘back beach’, past Elizabeth Street, up another track onto Hamilton Street. Then a final gallop along past the Domain, turn right at the transit camp entrance and around the corner to the paddock.

Thus would end another perfect day of my favourite pastime — horseriding.