A practical tool that was later adopted as the brand for the Aztec Land and Cattle Company out of Texas, more famously known as the Hashknife Outfit as their brand looked like the old hash knife. This company has existed since 1884. In 1866, the Aztec Company moved to Holbrook as a cattle ranching operation. They bought up over one million acres in northern Arizona and promptly brought in 32,000 head of cattle and 2,000 horses from Texas.

Update information is that the Babbitt family bought up the Aztec Ranch and broke it up into smaller ranches. The Babbitt family still owns it but the Hashknife Pony Express has the copyright on the logo as well as the use of the brand for livestock.  

Hashknife brand is now also identified with the Pony Express which operates as Posse, under the Navajo County Sheriff. They have copyrights to the brand except for cattle and livestock. 

In an interview with Mark Reynolds, leader of the Pony Express, I asked him, “Mark, how did the Hashknife Pony Express get started?”

He replied, “Well, in Holbrook -- in 1955 -- there was an airplane crash. Ben Pearson contacted Cephun Perkins in Perkins Valley, west of Holbrook where Perkins had his ranch. It was snowing at the time but Perkins got on his horse and went out and found the airplane crash. He came in and reported the location and, from that incident, the Sheriff’s Navajo Country Search and Rescue was formed.” 

“In 1958, the Sheriff’s Posse had a Stampede Rodeo at the fairgrounds. Mr. Roy Downey had the idea to invite then Governor Paul Fannin to this rodeo in Holbrook. They decided to carry a letter via Pony Express down to the Governor’s office in Phoenix. At that time, there were no (developed) roads but a two-track dirt road over the Rim. They delivered the invitation to the Governor and he sent his Chief Deputy (today that rank would be Lieutenant Governor) to this rodeo.”

The next year, I learned, they began riding the Pony Express down to Scottsdale. I also discovered their Pony Express saddle bags are used old railroad canvas mail bags given to them by the Post Office. 

Mark commented on the bags, “We get them and put handles on them to pass them from one to another. Riders hand these off at a pretty good clip. We’re focused on safety for the horses that are weaving around trees and bushes.” 

For this year’s Pony Express ride, all the riders met in Holbrook on Monday, February 3rd, picked up mail in Holbrook and went to the schools at Joseph and Winslow. It was 8 or 9 degrees that morning! Brr. 

“The relay is stretched out between mile markers. Once it leaves Holbrook, it doesn’t stop ‘til we get to Scottsdale,” said Mark. 

         On the first day -- Wednesday, February 5th -- in Payson, I stood with a group of eager residents, waiting for the sound of those ponies’ hoofbeats that would signal the Pony Express was approaching our Post Office. The riders -- in their authentic western garb -- and their faithful steeds reined up at the Post Office a little after 3 p.m., where they announced the Coloring Contest Winners for the Elementary School entries. Children submitted their colored versions of the Pony Express in action.

Afterwards, they put the mail up in the Post Office overnight. Then they rode to the Verde River and camped out 

I caught up with Mark’s brother Steven who has been riding the Pony Express for 44 years. He said that “people from all over the world send mail to be delivered. They get mail from schools from South Africa, Korea, China, Mexico and many others. In World War II, a General sent 1,100 post cards via Pony Express to everyone in his command.” Steve added that the kids in school study the original Pony Express and then they are curious and ask a lot of good questions when we come through and meet them.  

   

That night, the Elks Lodge served rib eye steak dinners with fixings. The community joined the Riders for $20 dinners. Much camaraderie, joking, some strutting around and knee slapping wild stories happened that night. I had a chance to talk to some of the riders. 

I learned from Steve that, “We did 100 miles the first day. We had good weather. We made record time; took care of business and arrived here in Payson early. We carried mail into Hermosillo, Mexico in 1985 (that’s as far as we could go with security). We also delivered -- via Pony Express -- letters to President Ronald Reagan and Senator Barry Goldwater.” 

After the next day’s ride, the mail was put up overnight at Fountain Hills, which was having its 50th Anniversary Celebration.

On Friday, the 7th, Pony Express rode into Museum of the West in Scottsdale which offered free entry both Friday and Saturday. There, a Kid’s Corral was set up to teach kids how to saddle a horse, ride, rope and other fun activities. There was a horseback star spangle banner. 

I learned the Hashknife Guild women also help the Pony Express Rides. This year – 2020 -- the ride was dedicated to all who keep the spirit of the Wild West alive.

I asked Mark if they ever had any mishaps.

“Oh, yes,” Mark said. “Sometimes the horses get away. 

Through the years, horses may jump into drifts of six to seven feet of snow. It is very cold up on the Rim. We battle all sorts of weather.” 

I was astounded to learn from Mark that this ride costs about $30,000 to $40,000 each year to put on and more than sixty people were involved in the project. The Navajo County Sheriff sent a security force to help them get the riders down safely to Scottsdale. Of course, the help included a cook crew and mail crew that went ahead and hand stamped all the mail to be carried by the Pony Express.

 

In additional research, I was surprised to learn that Arizona has the only Pony Express that still delivers the United States Postal Service mail. An exciting annual traditional reenactment -- “this event is the oldest officially sanctioned Pony Express delivery in the world.” Each Pony Express rider is sworn in as an honorary mail deliverer. To become a rider, you must be a member of the Navajo County Sheriff’s Posse. 

So, in February, when the weather is wintery blustering -- and through the black of night -- over mountains and through desert lands, the Pony Express riders brave the elements on horseback, galloping along with thudding hooves, bravely passing off the relay of mail by horseback. They cover over two hundred miles from Holbrook -- traversing the Mogollon Rim and the wild Mazatzal mountain range -- arriving in the “West’s Most Western Town” --Scottsdale. 

When Hashknife Pony Express riders arrived, as in the days of old, they hitched their horses to Scottsdale street hitching posts and may have chowed down lunch at the Rusty Spur Saloon. This traditional Pony Express ride kicked off the Parada del Sol Parade which was on the 8th at noon with the Trails End celebration in Scottsdale. 

In Scottsdale, there is an impressive bronze sculpture -- 20 feet long, which seems frozen in action -- of the racing horses and the riders thundering past each other, passing the mail bag. It took a year for artist Mignery and casters to create this astounding masterpiece of bronze art in motion. It’s bigger-than-life-size bronze is an excellent example of how they passed the mail bag from one rider to the next. 

So, even today in February, your piece of mail can be delivered via the Pony Express. How? At our Rim Country local Post Offices, patrons purchased the $1 special Pony Express letter. Letters were hand stamped with the official ride logo -- a stamp treasured by collectors world-wide. Deadline for turning into the Post Office was by January 31, to be delivered by Pony Express. This Hashknife outfit annually delivers over 20,000 pieces and each bears the valued “Via Pony Express” identification -- personally hand stamped by the riders themselves.

This annual Arizona event, with its colorful sights and sounds, is followed by folks all over the country. It continues to keep alive part of the American West that is forever earmarked as a significant part of our history and the dedicated riders that faithfully delivered our mail. 

I found it reminiscent of a part of our past that is not often visited but I am glad the Pony Express riders are here to keep it alive and well. Maybe each time we mail a letter, we might think of what it took for a piece of mail to reach its destination in earlier days. For more information, visit their website: www.hashknifeponyexpress.com to keep the ride going and to keep the spirit of the Old West alive.