'Cowboy Harry' giddy over Outback
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Prince Harry poses with his horse Guardsman at the ranch where he has been working.
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SYDNEY, Australia (Reuters) -- Galloping off into the distance, hooves flying, stirring up a cloud of dust -- "Cowboy Harry" displayed his "jackarooing" skills to the media.
Britain's Prince Harry, riding a chestnut horse called "Guardsman" and wearing a traditional Australian bush hat, laughed and joked with the other cattle hands, or jackaroos as they are called in Australia, as they steered 30 bulls into a mustering yard on Thursday.
"It's a great country," said Harry in a statement released to coincide with the media opportunity on the sprawling 16,000-hectare (39,540-acre) Tooloombilla Station near Roma in southern Queensland state.
"I have had a great time working out here, meeting people and learning a bit about how to be a jackaroo, and of course the rugby was absolutely fantastic," said the 19-year-old prince, who is in Australia for a working holiday during his gap year.
Australian and international media hounded Harry when he first arrived in the outback in late September, with reports he even considered returning to England as the prying media were preventing him from learning how to be a jackaroo.
But after a request to leave him alone, Harry settled into bush life, roping and mustering cattle, visiting a rodeo, and learning general farm maintenance.
Harry's bush day starts around 7.30 a.m. and doesn't end until 6.00 p.m., with a two-hour lunch break when the sun is fiercest.
Harry took leave from jackarooing to support England in the recent Rugby World Cup, cheering them on against South Africa in Perth and then again in the final against Australia in Sydney.
During his time in Sydney, Harry enjoyed the city's nightlife and was photographed at various hotels and trendy bars.
"Jackaroo" Harry in action mustering Australian herd bulls
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Media reports of his nocturnal activities praised Harry for his down-to-earth attitude, with people reporting him "shouting" or buying a round of beers at the bar and dancing the night away.
On Thursday, invited media were kept in the distance, forced to train long lenses on Harry as he rode his horse. But the prince showed his good nature and, after penning the cattle, rode to a nearby fence to pose "cowboy-style" for photographs.
Leaning against the timber fence rail, bush hat shading his face from the blistering sun, Harry smiled at photographers as his horse nudged his shoulder.
After satisfying the media, Harry mounted his horse and galloped off into the bush, waving goodbye with his hat and leaving a cloud of dust.
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Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
