-Hi.

I'm Eric Ford for -Made Here.

-Director, Eric Stanges film -Pony Boys -tells the improbable story -of Massachusetts brothers -Tony and Jeff Whitmore, -!who at the age of nine and 11, -set off on a road trip in -a pony cart with their family -pet, a pony named King.

-Amazingly, -they drove this cart -from Boston through Vermont -all the way to the World's -Fair in Montreal.

-All on their own.

-You can watch Pony Boys -and other great made here -!films streaming on our website -and through the PBS app.

-Enjoy the film -and thanks for watching.

-Expo 67 or bust.

-This sign was tacked -on the back of a pony cart -driven by one of these -three young men.

-What is your name, please?

-My name is Tony Whitmore.

-My name is Tony -Whitmore.

-My name is Tony -Whitmore.

-My name is Tony Whitmore.

-Only one of these young men -is the real Tony Whitmore.

-And in the spring of 1967, -the principal of my school -told my mother -that I could not read a map.

-100 people in our studio -!audience on To Tell the Truth.

-And from that, -the journey began.

-I was nine.

-My brother Tony was 11.

-In the spring of 67, -I remember -I came into the kitchen.

-My mother was -standing at the counter -and she wanted to talk to me -and my brother Tony said, -Jeff, do you want to go to -the World's Fair in Montreal?

-And I didn't even know -what the World's Fair was.

-I was nine years old, -!the largest world's fair ever.

-Expo 67, -the international Twin island -Wonderland, -is ready for its gala -opening ceremonies.

-Host Canada -is among 62 nations.

-I just really wanted -to go to the Expo, -and if I got the bug -in my ear, -than my mother was never -hearing the end of the fact.

-We lived in Needham, -just outside of Boston.

-There was no way financially -that we were going to be able -to do the 400 miles -to get to Montreal.

-But you couldn't -tell my mother -that something -couldnt be done.

-And I know she was -really irritated that Mr. -Jenkinson said that -I couldn't read a map.

-It seemed like -they had already discussed it -and we were going to go to -Montreal Expo 67.

-We're going to take the pony -cart.

-We're -going to go by pony cart.

-So they explained it to me -and it sounded like fun.

-It sounded like Disneyworld.

-It was our ticket -to go to Montreal.

-I had no idea that it would -!turn into what it turned into.

-My dad, bless his heart, -was a squarest guy -on planet Earth.

-He just was.

-He was just super square.

-Opposites attract.

-My mother was different.

-You know, we did stuff -that other kids didn't do.

-The kids across the street, -they had plastic -on their furniture.

-At my house, -You could play soccer -in the living room.

-My mother always thought -a little bit outside the box, -as they say.

-Learning by doing -was really important for her.

-!My father, although there was, -I think, some disapproval -there, -He tried to withhold judgment -as far as allowing -!some things that he might have -been a little fearful about.

-Like this trip.

-I have no idea.

-When my mother broke -the news to him that, yeah, -his two sons, nine and 11, -we're going to take -!the Shetland pony and the pony -cart up -to Montreal from Needham.

-!We had a pony that we used for -delivering newspapers -and pony rides for birthdays.

-King was our pet.

-He was part of the family.

-We all loved him.

-King, -He was a sweet pony.

-He wouldn't hurt a fly.

-He was just gentle.

-Which we later learned -was unusual for a Shetland -pony.

-My mother indicated -that we needed -to start planning.

-We started doing -the small stuff, -you know, -working with running King -and getting him -into good condition.

-My mother did the big stuff.

-She put the tent together.

-There was a basket under -the seat of the pony cart.

-We had our clothes in that.

-She planned -the whole thing out.

-The American -Automotive Association, -they provided us with maps -!and triptychs and information.

-Tony and I learned to read -maps.

-We could see the cities, -the towns, the route -we were going to take.

-We got good at it.

-And mom wrote to -all of the townships -that we would go through -to let them know that -we were coming and to -Please be on the lookout.

-So the plan was on -the 4th of July.

-We ride the pony car -in the Needham Parade, -and then the following day -we pack up -and we head to Montreal.

-It was exciting.

-It was all really -exciting and.

-I think my mother -did a very brave thing -in letting us go.

-I mean, I look back -and remember -when my children were 11 -and nine.

-Would I have let them go?

-I'm not sure.

-But she had absolute -faith -that with proper preparation -we would get this done.

-The day we left, -My memory of it is just the -thrill of being in the cart -and hearing that clickety -clack came.

-We were on this trip.

-On this adventure.

-No idea where -it was going to go.

-We got our maps.

-We looked at the maps.

-We were off.

-I really didn't believe -when we kicked off and left -the driveway on the -fifth that this was -that extraordinary.

-It never entered my mind -that it could be dangerous.

-I always thought that it was -going to be a lot of fun.

-That day, -I think in the afternoon -we were caught in a brief -but torrential rain.

-We had these straw -little straw hats.

-They got soggy -And the smell of a -rainstorm in a hot summer.

-I can smell it now.

-The sun came out -after the rain -turned into a beautiful day.

-Day two of our trip.

-Trudging up hills -that was a very hilly -Part of the trip.

-King, -We were probably walking -and trotting and walking -Him and my brother -and I noticed -that we were being followed -by a car.

-And it followed us -for a couple of hours, -and it started to make us -a little nervous.

-King goes five miles -an hour.

-He's quite slow.

-A car would not -just follow us for two miles.

-We'd be passed.

-At that point.

-My brother and I, we -were nervous and afraid.

-We said don't look.

-Don't turn around.

-As we got -into a populated area, -I decided that I needed -to find out who they were.

-So I got out of the -car and -!went back and spoke with them.

-As it turns out, -it was a reporter -and staff photographer -for the Boston Globe.

-That was our first -introduction -to any of the reporters.

-Geoff -was a remarkable companion, -but he really didn't -like to talk to the press.

-I've always been -a smiley loudmouth, -so I really didn't have any -trouble talking to the press, -but we just didn't understand -what was going on.

-You have nothing better to do -than to follow -two little kids -on their way to Expo.

-I have no idea why -the press was so fascinated -by this trip.

-The amount of attention -and the amount of reporters -that were following us.

-The trip -definitely tickled something.

-I was very surprised -at how much press they got -because -in the family -!I grew up in, a trip like that -did not feel press worthy.

-But when you consider -what else was in the news -that summer, -I think people just craved -following a fun -and feel good story -like the Pony Boys.

-Oftentimes -people would stop -and talk with us.

-They would walk along side -with us, and we got a lot of -personal attention -from people.

-I remember people passing us -and then pulling over.

-Especially as -we approached the towns -and there'd be crowds -walking with us.

-The first -5 or 6 days, -!we knew where we were staying.

-And then I can't remember how -we knew where we were staying -The rest of the trip.

-As the day -started to end -and we put enough miles in, -we would look for a house -that had fencing around it -like they had animals.

-You know, it's -hard to say exactly, -but it had a friendly vibe.

-The first night we actually -knocked on somebody's door.

-It was a little nerve -wracking.

-But that first night -we stayed with a nice family.

-And after that, you know, -if somebody turned us down, -!I don't remember it happening.

-For the whole trip.

-There was always -a place to stay.

-People were inviting us -to stay with them.

-We had to turn people down.

-Everybody was very gracious -and gave us nice meals.

-And we never even -had to put up our tent.

-!I hate to think about laundry.

-As far as I -know, I wore the same thing -every day.

-I think along the way -I lost my shoes too.

-I had sneakers when I left.

-Towards the end of the trip, -we didn't have sneakers.

-We got used to the press -being a little bit -in the background.

-They became -pretty good friends -over the course of the trip.

-And there was a point in time -where a photographer -said, well, -you guys should feel honored.

-!This is the second color photo -that has ever -been in the Boston Globe.

-While my brothers -were on their trip -and the phone calls -!started coming into the house, -we got phone calls -that were supportive.

-Oh, that's a great thing.

-The kids -must be having a ball.

-But we also got -some phone calls from people -who were quite free -with their disapproval.

-And the letters -started coming.

-There were letters -that said, -you guys are fantastic.

-Here's a dollar to help.

-And there were -a number of people -who sent a dollar or $2.

-It was very sweet.

-But then there were letters -that were very negative.

-People who said -that my brothers should be -removed from the home, -and my parents should be -arrested and thrown in jail.

-I mean, -!some of them were even talking -about the poor pony -and how we were being cruel -to the pony.

-There was so many letters -and complaints -that when we were in Jaffrey, -New Hampshire, -the PCA examined King -and he got -a complete bill of health.

-King is from a breed -!designed to drag carts of coal -from the bottom of mines, out -every day.

-King was more than up -to the task.

-And as I like to say, -King was probably the adult -on that trip.

-King was definitely -a caretaker.

-They were in good hands.

-Hooves.

-Every day he was great.

-We would get up.

-We'd have breakfast.

-Wed greet King.

-He would always greet us -!with a horse's little grumble.

-The days would start with us -brushing King, -cleaning his hooves, -tacking him up, and -!we would go over the map, talk -about where we were headed, -and we would set goals -as to where we were going -to get to by noon -and set another goal -for where we would -try to get to by the evening.

-I think -our goal was 20 miles a day, -and depending on the terrain, -it would be more or less.

-Tony would drive, -then I would drive.

-I'm not sure what we would -We talked about.

-You know, was pre-Walkman -or cell phone or anything.

-!So we didn't have any portable -entertainment with us.

-!We were our own entertainment.

-I know there was, -a song that we would sing -which was up, Up and Away -by the fifth dimension.

-Would you like to ride -in my beautiful balloon?

-Would you like to ride in -my beautiful balloon?

-!We would float among the stars -together.

-You and I.

-To this day, -when I hear that song, -It brings me right -back to the pony cart.

-Up, up and away in my -beautiful, my beautiful -balloon.

-I think as we got closer -to the border, -!that is one of the discussions -Tony and I would talk about -whether we were going -to get through -not having any money -or a place to stay.

All -I knew at the time was that -it wasn't going to be easy.

-So it was probably -the 25th day -that we were at the border, -you know, with all the press -and all everything -that had gone on, -The border was a big deal.

-!I could tell that the officers -that were there -waiting for us, I think that -they were thinking, -oh, boy, here they are.

-They were so nice to us, -but they didn't -let us just pass through.

-Somebody came out and said, -!where are you staying tonight?

-We said, we're not sure.

-So, well, -then you can't cross.

-We were probably there -for two hours -and that's -when my mother showed up.

-She dealt with them.

-You know, -I think of my mother's -involvement in the trip.

-I thought she had nothing -to do with it.

-Once we were gone, -it was Tony and I.

-I suspect, being my mother, -that, -you know, she was -keeping a good eye on us.

-But that's the only time -I really remember her -meeting up with us.

-She showed up -as we were trying -to figure out -what the next step -was going to be, -and I don't know what the -conversation that ensued was, -but about 25 minutes later, -we were across the border and -went on our way to Montreal.

-(applause) -We were -on the road for 27 days -when we arrived at the Expo.

-Coming into Expo, -imagine two little kids, -11 and nine, -and the people were -all cheering and smiling -and we were -the arriving conquerors -was kind of the atmosphere.

-We were greeted by the Royal -Canadian Mounted Police, -and mounted police officer -came right up to us, -and King got very excited -about this horse, this -big horse coming up to us.

-!That was kind of the official, -They have arrived.

-Joining them in -Montreal was not the plan -as far as I knew, -but because it became -the famous -!trip, a bank sponsored flights -to send us up -to Montreal to join them, -which we did.

-And it was really fun.

-It was -really good to see them.

-When we -met the family at expo, -the first thing -my sister Meg wanted to do -!was to make sure that King was -okay.

-It's a funny thing, -being reunited with family -at that point.

-We were surrounded -by so many people -and we were asked to sign -so many autographs.

-It's a bit of a blur.

-Wasn't long after that -that we were ushered into -to a room -with international press.

-There was a podium loaded -with microphones.

-I had never seen -so many microphones.

-And here we were, -two little kids -taking serious questions -from serious -reporters.

-I'm pretty sure that Tony -handled the press conference.

-I did read that -I was shy.

-Somebody said -that Jeff was a little shy.

-And once that was over, -we were given VIP -treatment all over the place.

-!I thought the expo was a hoot.

-It met my expectations -times ten.

-And when you get to see it, -as you know celebrity, -how could you be let down?

-And I didn't even know what -VIP meant at the time.

-I do remember asking my -mother, Mom, whats VIP?

-She said, -very important person.

-I was like, wow, great.

-GM had a car -that had been cut in half -!and would unfold mechanically, -and they unfolded it -and let us sit in it.

-I just thought that was -the coolest thing -!that ever happened to anybody.

-It's an interesting thing, -We wanted to go to Expo 67.

-We got there -and my feeling was once -!I arrived and spent a few days -in the exhibits, -Okay, we were done.

I'm done.

-The real adventure -was the trip up there.

-When it was all said and done -and we had made the trip -home, then unloaded King.

-There was a little bit -of publicity after that -Incidentally, we'd like -you to meet Tony's brother, -nine year old Jeff Witmer, -who made the trip with him.

-My brother -and I were celebrities.

-It was everywhere we went.

-You one of the pony boys?

-!It was great fun, but it faded -and it disappeared.

-And then we just became -regular -people again.

-You know, life -kind of turned back to normal -pretty quick.

-The trip has been forgotten -about for the most part, -which maybe is -as it should be.

-But for my brother -and I, it was a life -changing and absolutely -remarkable experience.

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-For more, -visit Vermont public.org.