100 Palomino Horses lead Tournament of Roses Roy Rogers Float

Santa Rosa Palomino Club to lead Roy Rogers Tournament of Roses float in 2012 Rose Parade
Santa Rosa Palomino Club to lead Roy Rogers “Happy Trails” Tournament of Roses float in 2012 Tournament of Roses Parade®

Tournament of Roses Horseback Riding Vacation

Imagine watching 100 palomino horses walk down Ellis Street, ending at Paloma Street  – named for the Palominos – I don’t think so – during the Tournament of Roses Parade®. On Monday, January 2, this equestrian entourage will lead the “Happy Trails” float, one of the largest floats in the parade, honoring Cowboy Roy Rogers.

Watch the Happy Trails float honoring Roy Rogers and his palomino horse Trigger in the Tournament of Roses Parade.
Watch the Happy Trails float honoring Roy Rogers and his palomino horse Trigger in the Tournament of Roses Parade®.

Roy Rogers King of the Cowboys

In celebration of Roy Rogers’ 100th birthday, RFD-TV is honoring the “King of the Cowboys” with a float titled “Happy Trails” in the Tournament of Roses Parade® on January 2, 2012. “Happy Trails,” one of the largest floats in the parade, is 75 feet long, with a 35-foot-tall classic image of Rogers. The Rose Parade® will broadcast live on RFD-TV from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. EST.  The RFD-TV “Happy Trails” float is scheduled to be the final float in the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade®. Rose Parade is a registered trademark of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association.

Santa Rosa Palomino Club goes on a horseback riding vacation to Southern California
Santa Rosa Palomino Club goes on a horseback riding vacation to Southern California

Santa Rosa Palomino Horse Club

One hundred golden palominos with riders will lead the RFD-TV float down the Pasadena parade route with Roy’s son and grandson, Dusty and Dustin Rogers, singing “Happy Trails” to the crowd along the way as the entourage rides off into the sunset.

RFD-TV called out to riders to bring their palominos and participate in this once-in-a-lifetime tribute to Roy Rogers, on national TV. Some participants riding in the palomino entourage include Long Beach Mounted Police, Kings County Sheriff’s, Merced County Sheriff’s, Santa Rosa Palomino Club, U.S. Marshals Posse, RFD-TV Roy Rogers Riders Club and veterinarian and humorist Baxter Black.

Take a Tournament of Roses horseback riding vacation to Southern California. Watch Equestfest at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.
Take a Tournament of Roses horseback riding vacation to Southern California. Watch Equestfest at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

Equestfest in Burbank, California

If you will be in Pasadena for the Tournament of Roses Parade®, you might want to check out Equestfest, the pre-parade gathering of the equestrians who participate in the Rose Bowl Parade. Held on December 30 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank, California, Equestfest takes place from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. with the equestrian show beginning at noon. Admission is $15. 00 per person.

Have you ridden a parade horse during a horseback riding vacation? These cowgirls look like they are enjoying their ride in the Tournament of Poses Parade.
Have you ridden a parade horse during a horseback riding vacation? These cowgirls look like they are enjoying their ride in the Tournament of Roses Parade®

Tournament of Roses Parade® Horses

Have you ridden a parade horse during a horseback riding vacation? I once rode my horse in our local Walnut Festival parade in the 1970’s and I remember it as being very special. If you’ll be attending the Tournament of Roses, here are some tips for watching the Rose Bowl Parade.

If You Go:

Equestfest

Los Angeles Equestrian Center
480 Riverside Drive, Burbank, CA 91506

You may purchase tickets prior to Equestfest through www.sharpseating.com or by calling (626) 795-4171.

Santa Rosa Palomino Club photos courtesy of their Facebook page, Tournament of Roses cowgirls photo courtesy of Darrel Larson.

13 thoughts on “100 Palomino Horses lead Tournament of Roses Roy Rogers Float”

  1. NICE. Nancy, I’d consider going, but the idea of waking up my 12 year old (in the full throes of adolescence) early on January 1 makes me realize the thought of going to Tournament of Roses this year is folly.

  2. We have just finished a wonderful new documentary on Roy and Dale called Dale Evans: Beyond the Happy Trails with Dusty, Cheryl, Tom Fox, Mimi, Michael Martin Murphey, and many others.

    The documentary is part of the Roy Rogers’ 100th Birthday 2-DVD Commemorative Collection. For more information and to see the trailer, visit http://www.RoyandDale.com

    Steve

  3. i live in the town where roy rogers and dale evans lived out their lives – apple valley, california – just off the 15 freeway in the high desert – while not much sadly remains here where they were – they are buried here but the sons took the museum to bransom and then sold it – but some of the streets are named after them like dale evans drive, roy rogers drive and happy trails – its changed a lot since they lived here – went thru a housing boom that went busted but their homes are still here – and i believe their spirits are still here too

  4. @Jennifer – the parade was on January 2, so maybe it would have worked to go on Monday.
    I was watching the NBC broadcast of the parade when suddenly one of the palominos shook off his rider quite violently. A crowd onlooker grabbed the loose horse. Looked like the rider was ok, but the commentators didn’t even say a word—mainly because they had their backs to the parade! But they must have had monitors.
    I’d like to know if the rider is ok and if he finished the parade route.
    I think all the waving, blowing flags had something to do with spooking him.

  5. I WAS AROUND TWELVE WHEN I SHOOK HANDS WITH ROY ROGERS AT THE COLISUM IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. IT WAS CALLED HOUSTON FAT STOCK SHOW BACK THEN. HE AND DALE EVANS PUT ON A SHOW. IM SIXTY EIGHT AND STILL REMEMBER THE EVENT.

  6. @Sally
    I was NOT at the parade, but I did see the video on YouTube of the horse being spooked by the flag covering its face. I also heard from someone commenting on the YouTube video that the horse was also poked in the head by another flag. He reared up, threw his rider and fell over. Rider is okay according to a witness from the Santa Rosa Palomino Club. I have not heard how the horse is doing.

    Link to video: http://youtu.be/GNyEaW7WaxY

  7. @Nancy, thanks, I didn’t see the horse fall over. Just saw a man in the crowd grab it. I don’t know if this was the same incident, but I saw the parade again on Lifetime TV in the afternoon. The commentators said “oh, a rider just dismounted.” And, a shot showed the rider walking the horse at the sidelines. Then the commentator said something about the horse’s reins getting entangled in some biker’s equipment on the sidelines and that they asked the bikers to leave. I’m not sure this was the same thing, and because it was a different angle, I couldn’t tell.

  8. I watched it live on NBC. Something seemed to scare a horse on the left. All the others in that row seemed to sense it. It was like a human “wave”, all the horses throwing their heads up and neighing. The one on the end moved because he could. It looked like a hat scared him more than the flag. Perhaps it was both. He reared, threw his head left and right and went down. The rider appeared to fall to his right while the horse rolled to his left. I did see the rider get up and another rider and a pedestrian stepped forward to stop the horse from running.

  9. The tribute to Roy, the Palominos and the float were terrific. We were worried about the horse and rider and hope to hear all is well. My brother, Ray Sharpe, and Roy Rogers owned the Dale/Jean Corporation in Big Bear Lake, CA. many years ago. We spent time with Roy before he rose to fame and again after he met and married Dale. We shared many adventures — what a gift! To read more about Roy, go to Tricia Spencer’s new book, The Touch of Roy and Dale, published this year in honor of Roy’s 100th birthday. Family pictures and words from Roy’s family and fans tell the story of a legend who was a caring, down-to earth and amazing man, the King of the Cowboys.

  10. @Carolline
    I haven’t heard any update. If anyone knows the status on the horse and rider from the 2012 Rose Bowl parade, feel free to add a comment. I did read a comment on the Santa Rosa Palomino Club Facebook page that the rider was not a member of their club, but was okay.

    Again, I was NOT at the Rose Bowl parade and did not see the accident take place. Nancy

Comments are closed.