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Description:
The Florida Cracker Trail Ride is a six-day, 120-mile horseback
ride from the West coast of Florida to the East coast. It is a re-enactment
of the return ride cattlemen would make during the mid-1800's after
driving their cattle to markets on Florida's West coast, where the
cattle were then shipped to Cuba. The purpose of the Ride is to
celebrate this horse and cattle heritage that is so unique to Florida.
The Ride progresses 15-20 miles each day and traverses five counties.
Historical storytelling, folk music, cowboy poetry, arena games
and a dance are provided for evening entertainment. The Ride ends
with a parade through downtown Ft. Pierce. The Ride attracts over
125 riders and 50 additional non-riders and campers each year. The
Florida Cracker Trail Ride is a collaborative effort of members
of the Florida Cracker Trail Association, numerous private landowners
and many state and local agencies. The Florida Cracker Trail has
been selected as a Community Millennium Trail, part of a nationwide
network of trails. The Millennium Trails is a partnership among
the White House Millennium Council, the Department of Transportation,
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the National Endowment for the Arts
and other public agencies and private organizations. The Ride, a
successful example of heritage tourism, draws visitors to the Central
Florida area with little to no adverse environmental impact. The
author participated in the 2004 Ride and collected information concerning
the participant, including motivation and demographics, as well
as the communities through which the Ride passes and the businesses
affected by the Ride. Facts on costs, planning, history, safety
and marketing of the Ride are presented. The impact on various business
owners in towns along the Ride route is also addressed. This information
will be useful to organizations and communities interested in developing
heritage tourism opportunities.
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