The Whanganui East Rural Schools Cluster is made up of Fordell, Okoia, Aberfeldy, Whangaehu, Kaitoke, Mangamahu and Upokongaro.
The students set off from Horopito and finished their ride three hours later when they arrived in Ohakune.
"They rose to the challenge. If riders were having trouble on the hill, they'd stop and walk to the top with them," Brown said.
"They supported each other, they were aware of what those kids that were struggling were going through and those are the sort of skills we are building and developing."
The Tuia Challenge consists of two out of school activities with the rest of the cluster schools and two in-school activities.
Mangamahu School principal Rosalie Matthews said the Tuia Challenge was an appropriate name.
"I have three girls here, they said it was very challenging. They don't ride that much and there were quite a few hills they had to walk up, but overall they really enjoyed it," she said.
"It's not just about physical challenges, the kids also have to develop or take on a new skill, last year I taught my kids how to knit and another girl started guitar lessons."
Matthews said it all started with a leadership camp near Raukawa Falls earlier in the year.
"We stayed for a two day camp there with all the other cluster schools because it's a real icebreaker for everybody to get to know each other," Matthews said.
"The social aspect is very important, especially for schools as small as mine. It's good for them to interact with everybody else."
On the camp, students completed a high ropes course and throughout the rest of the year they have competed in or will compete in athletics, cross-country and swimming.
