Harold the natural horseman

Harold Hopkins came to my attention when droving cattle through the stock route near our (then) property at Downside in New South Wales. I needed to track Harold down after noticing he had unwittingly left some cattle behind; a fortuitous accident for me, to now have the opportunity to photograph him for the Breed of Their Own project.

Harold droves yearly through The Long Paddock (the Travelling Stock Route that provides a thoroughfare for walking livestock from location to location), something he has done since becoming a drover's offsider at the age of thirteen, and with only a six month lapse for a hip operation. He considers this work his greatest inspiration; the challenge of keeping stock alive during tough times.

Harold is a natural horseman. I could see this from my first observations of him, having been around horses all my life, mustering with my parents on our farm in the Harolds Cross hills. He told me that he couldn't be without his horses and that this relationship is the secret to his longevity as a drover.

We have since moved from Downside and so I have not seen Harold again, but I imagine he still is on his horse, moving cattle along the TSR

Harold Hopkins: “There are only two sorts in the world, the quick and the dead"

Note all images are of poor reproduction quality, and snap shooting is illegal.

Images can be purchase through the store on this site by clicking "Buy Online".