Aimé Félix Tschiffely
Encyclopedia
Aimé Félix Tschiffely was a Swiss
-born, Argentine
professor, writer, and adventurer. A.F. Tschiffely (as he was better known) wrote a number of books, most famously Tschiffely's Ride (1933) in which he recounts his solo journey on horseback from Argentina to Washington DC, an epic adventure that still marks one of the greatest horse rides of all time. Tschiffely was a household name in the United States during the 1930s, meeting with President Calvin Coolidge
and appearing in National Geographic Magazine
and earning a lucrative living from his popular book sales.
A.F. Tschiffely was born into an old Swiss family in Bern in 1895 where he was educated and became a teacher. An adventurer at heart, he left Switzerland to teach in England in his early 20s, but found a new passion as a professional footballer and boxer. He then moved to Buenos Aires
where he settled into teaching again, but still found time on long vacations for adventure riding horses and exploring the surrounding pampas. He made many friends among the ranchers and learned a lot about horses and outdoor travel.
In 1925 at the age of 30 he decided to undertake a journey by horseback from Buenos Aires to Washington DC. At the time (and even to this day) most would assume this could not be done. Newspaper at the time declared "Impossible! Absurd! The man must be mad!". He wrote about his ride in a bestselling book called The Ride or Tschiffely's Ride in which he recounts his epic three year journey from 1925 to 1928 on two native Criollo horses named Mancha (meaning Spotty) and Gato (meaning Cat), direct descendants from horses brought to Argentina by conquistador
Pedro de Mendoza
in 1535 (the first horses brought to the new world). These horses were of the best Spanish stock (at the time, the best in Europe), which had gone feral
in the pampas. They were legendary for their toughness, intelligence and stamina.
After Ride Tschiffely became a famous successful author and moved with his wife Violet to London where he continued to write more books, one of which was a biography of his friend Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham who had died in 1936. In 1937 he returned to South America and made another journey, by car, to the southern tip of the continent, recording his experiences among the natives and the changes brought on by modernity in This Way Southward (1940).
In 2004 Marianne du Toit
, the South African born adventuress, followed in the footsteps of Tschiffely, also with two Criollos, completing her journey in 21 months.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
-born, Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
professor, writer, and adventurer. A.F. Tschiffely (as he was better known) wrote a number of books, most famously Tschiffely's Ride (1933) in which he recounts his solo journey on horseback from Argentina to Washington DC, an epic adventure that still marks one of the greatest horse rides of all time. Tschiffely was a household name in the United States during the 1930s, meeting with President Calvin Coolidge
Calvin Coolidge
John Calvin Coolidge, Jr. was the 30th President of the United States . A Republican lawyer from Vermont, Coolidge worked his way up the ladder of Massachusetts state politics, eventually becoming governor of that state...
and appearing in National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic Magazine
National Geographic, formerly the National Geographic Magazine, is the official journal of the National Geographic Society. It published its first issue in 1888, just nine months after the Society itself was founded...
and earning a lucrative living from his popular book sales.
A.F. Tschiffely was born into an old Swiss family in Bern in 1895 where he was educated and became a teacher. An adventurer at heart, he left Switzerland to teach in England in his early 20s, but found a new passion as a professional footballer and boxer. He then moved to Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
where he settled into teaching again, but still found time on long vacations for adventure riding horses and exploring the surrounding pampas. He made many friends among the ranchers and learned a lot about horses and outdoor travel.
In 1925 at the age of 30 he decided to undertake a journey by horseback from Buenos Aires to Washington DC. At the time (and even to this day) most would assume this could not be done. Newspaper at the time declared "Impossible! Absurd! The man must be mad!". He wrote about his ride in a bestselling book called The Ride or Tschiffely's Ride in which he recounts his epic three year journey from 1925 to 1928 on two native Criollo horses named Mancha (meaning Spotty) and Gato (meaning Cat), direct descendants from horses brought to Argentina by conquistador
Conquistador
Conquistadors were Spanish soldiers, explorers, and adventurers who brought much of the Americas under the control of Spain in the 15th to 16th centuries, following Europe's discovery of the New World by Christopher Columbus in 1492...
Pedro de Mendoza
Pedro de Mendoza
Pedro de Mendoza y Luján was a Spanish conquistador, soldier and explorer, and the first adelantado of the Río de la Plata.- Setting sail :...
in 1535 (the first horses brought to the new world). These horses were of the best Spanish stock (at the time, the best in Europe), which had gone feral
Feral
A feral organism is one that has changed from being domesticated to being wild or untamed. In the case of plants it is a movement from cultivated to uncultivated or controlled to volunteer. The introduction of feral animals or plants to their non-native regions, like any introduced species, may...
in the pampas. They were legendary for their toughness, intelligence and stamina.
After Ride Tschiffely became a famous successful author and moved with his wife Violet to London where he continued to write more books, one of which was a biography of his friend Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham who had died in 1936. In 1937 he returned to South America and made another journey, by car, to the southern tip of the continent, recording his experiences among the natives and the changes brought on by modernity in This Way Southward (1940).
In 2004 Marianne du Toit
Marianne du Toit
Marianne du Toit is a South African adventuress and photographer, notable for her epic journey on horseback and foot from Argentina to New York over a period of 21 months....
, the South African born adventuress, followed in the footsteps of Tschiffely, also with two Criollos, completing her journey in 21 months.
Works
- Round and about Spain (1952).
- Bohemia Junction (1951). A biography of 40 years of travel and adventure. ISBN 1-59048-015-5
- The Tale of Two Horses (1949). The story of The Ride from the viewpoint of his two horses, Mancha and Gato. ISBN 1-59048-012-0
- Ming and Ping (1948).
- This Way Southward (1945). Recounts his journey by car to Tierra del Fuego and emotional reunion with his two horses Mancha and Gato. ISBN 1-59048-014-7
- Coricancha (garden of gold): Discovery of Peru and conquest of the Inca empire (1943). See also CoricanchaCoricanchaThe Coricancha , originally named Inti Kancha was the most important temple in the Inca Empire, dedicated primarily to Inti, the Sun God...
. - Don Roberto: The Life of R B Cuninghame Graham (1937). London: William Heinneman Ltd.
- Bridle Paths: the story of a ride through rural England (1936). Travels through Britain on horseback, a poetic look at a now-vanished Britain, as it was before the advent of suburbia changed it forever. ISBN 1-59048-013-9
- Tschiffely's Ride or The Ride or Southern Cross to Pole Star (1933). ISBN 1-873429-70-3