The third and fourth contingents to go to South Africa were named the "Rough Riders" because it signalled troops who were not regularly trained but were nevertheless "good riders ready for rough work" and the Premier of the time, Richard Seddon, expressed the hope that they would be particularly rough on the enemy.

It was originally envisioned by the Otago recruiting committees that there would be three classes of applicants to make up the fourth contingent. A: men fully equipped, B: men with suitable horses or 25 pounds for their purchase and C: those who had neither, but were anxious to do their best for the colony. Such was the enthusiasm, that within a few days it became obvious that those in the C list had no chance of being selected and the roll closed at 250. AWMM