Mail Run rolls through Porterville, Springville

In the days of the Wild West, even the simple process of delivering a letter proved a life-threatening task replete with gun-toting outlaws determined to steal the mail and brave wagon masters protecting it.

Or so the annual Jackass Mail Run will have you believe.

Saturday saw the completion of the 48th episode since the re-enactment began in 1961, when it paraded nearly 500 horseback riders from downtown Porterville, up Highway 190 and into Springville.

Though the number of riders has dwindled — Jackass Mail Run committee coordinator Keith Perez estimated 175 made the short trek this year — the amount of entertainers, sponsors and visitors have not.

“So many people helped make this a success,” Perez, who had worked with the committee since January to organize the event, said.

“We’ve tried to make this a family affair every year where anyone is welcome to ride.”

Perez said a number of small businesses and private individuals contributed funds and items adding up to the $3,000 it took to operate this year’s run.

About 100 riders left Main Street in Portrville at 8:30 a.m., led by this year’s wagon master, David Eastep, in a covered wagon of mail picked up at the Elk’s Lodge.

“David has done a lot of work for the committee and for the community,” Perez said. “So we elected him this year.”

Representatives from the Humane Society as well as the Porterville Police Department and the California Highway Patrol escorted the riders past Lake Success and created detours for motorists.

Meanwhile, entertainment, food and music were on hand at Springville’s Veterans Memorial Park in preparation for the growing caravan’s arrival just before 4 p.m.

Springville singer Patty Torrey sang renditions of various country songs after a group of belly dancers from Porterville and Springville performed. Another group of cloggers, called Ground Stompers, followed Torrey and a popular local band — the Stepsons — performed late Saturday afternoon.

A contest for the longest beard awarded the winner two nights’ stay at the River Ridge Ranch, while the winner of the Jackass Mail Run’s queen contest (to the woman who sold the most raffle tickets) received a haircut and a pedicure at the local salon.

The raffle prizes included a two-night stay at Camp Nelson Lodge, six Springville-Sierra Rodeo tickets and four rounds of golf at River Island Golf Resort.
An assortment of tables surrounding the park offered face-painting, metal work demonstrations and log-cutting.

Dennis Townsend ran a small jail cell as an honorary sheriff for his fourth straight year at the park. His job was to lock up men who weren’t sporting beards or women not wearing dresses as per 19th century customs. Prisoners must pay a $1 bail to get out.

“We’ve had a pretty good business this morning of locking people up,” said Townsend, who said he locked up 350 people last year. “We had six sheriffs last year, but I’ve only got one this time and he’s helping someone else. So right now, we’re recruiting people to spy for us.”

Hundreds lined the street in front of the park to greet the wagon master, but before he could deliver the approximately 100 letters at the Main Street Cafe in Springville, the bandits stopped him.

“They try to hijack the mail,” Townsend said of the show. “The cowboys have a little negotiation and somebody with an itchy finger shoots and it’s mayhem for the next 20 minutes.”

Eventually, of course, the good guys win, the mail gets delivered to its rightful recipients and the citizens celebrate with a dance at theSpringville Inn and music from Visalia-based Class Action.

“Everything went really well and I think people enjoyed themselves,” Perez said.

Contact Jason Peterson at 784-5000, Ext. 1048, or jpeterson@portervillerecorder.com.