For the benefit of children's charities, Ezra Cooley, a 29 year old cowboy from Chico, California, began Ezra’s Expedition April 5th 2006. He set out to ride his horses around the world to help raise money for children’s charities. Ezra alone with no support team following him on the road, has managed to ride and survive over 120 degree temperatures in the deserts of the Great Basin, to below freezing temperatures in Oklahoma’s biggest ice storm in history. He rode through the streets of Manhattan and down Wall Street on the back of his trusted horse, Big Red. During his journey across the United States, he’s raised over 10,000.00 for the National Children’s Cancer Society and Children’s Miracle Network, and plans to head to Australia on November 10th to ride for Heart Kids Organization. Ezra has overcome many obstacles on his journey through the United States, but has also been very blessed. He became a member of Kiwanas International, whose goal is to change the lives of children, one community and one child at a time, and they plan to help him with his trip around Australia. While in Washington DC, he got to stay as a guest in the White House, and was formally commended in a letter by Vice President, Dick Cheney.
He was also given the Humanitarian Award by the American Paint Horse Association for having been the only one to have traveled over 8000 miles horseback, and doing something for the good of mankind. He was able to meet the President of the Australian Paint Horse Association, who was very excited about Ezra’s plan to come to Australia to ride and he plans to help him any way he can to accomplish his goals. Along his journey, Ezra got to break a wild horse, now known to all as Stryker, to use as his packhorse. During which time, he gave his current packhorse, Jahob, to a young girl he met on his trip, that was desperately wanting a horse. Ezra is a kind soul, with a love for children, and intends to do whatever he can to help better the lives of whomever he meets. From Australia, his goal is to sail to New Zeland and then to Europe and complete his journey around the world, but plans to continue until his million dollar goal for children is raised.
visit http://www.ezrasexpedition.com/Main.html
