Start planning now to watch the 120th annual Tournament of Roses Parade, held on New Years Day. If you miss the initial live broadcast it’ll be repeated over and over again on various TV channels. Horses have always played a big part in the parade which winds its way through downtown Pasadena, California, for 5 ½ miles. The original organizers were members of the Valley Hunt Club. They envisioned the parade as a display of horses and buggies covered in flowers, all to celebrate the New Year and the balmy Southern California weather. Over the years elaborate mechanized floats have replaced the horse drawn carriages, but many glorious equestrian units continue to participate. But not just anyone with a high-stepping horse and a splashy costume can ride in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Applicants must qualify for inclusion by riding in other high-profile parades. A tournament committee then invites those selected. It’s quite an honor to ride in the Tournament of Roses Parade because much of the world is watching.
