Horses faced a long and grueling task for charity on this day in 1977, with a more than 110-kilometre ride in Cooma.
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The Steve Mauger Memorial Endurance Ride, based at the Cooma Showground, attracted some 100 spectators on the day.
According to a story on the front page of The Canberra Times, the ride served a three-fold purpose: to raise money for the Steve Mauger charity, to enable the Snowy Mountains zone to gain points, and determine the winner of the Snowy Mountains Rider of the Year Award.
"The courses began at Cooma and extended into the surrounding bushland," the Times' story said.
"There were three sections of 60 kilometres, 48 kilometres and 15 kilometres respectively.
"Warren Webb, of Tumut, had [the] fastest time for the course, in eight hours, 16 minutes and 20 seconds."
The ride's "formidable" prizes included cups, shields, statuettes, bowls, and plaques for the first riders in each section, and were presented by Mr Mauger's sister, Enid Kirkwood, the story said.
