Equestrian units have been a part of the Rose Parade (also known as the Tournament of Roses Parade) since its inception in 1890, and they continue to play a vital role in the famous New Year’s Day celebration in Pasadena, Calif. This year, the Arabian Horse Association (AHA), the International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association (IALHA ) and Scripps Miramar Saddlebreds were among the breeds and disciplines that took part in the 136th Rose Parade. The parade route spans 5.5. miles, with around 700,000 spectators filling the streets and bleachers, and an estimated 37 million viewers watching from home, which provides the equestrian units the opportunity to showcase the versatility of horses to the world. 

The theme of the 2025 Rose Parade was “Best Day Ever,” and it certainly lived up to its name as 82 beautifully decorated floats, talented marching bands, elegant equestrian units, and entertaining performers delighted the crowds on a sunny California morning. “The Tournament of Roses parade is the considered the Grand Daddy of parades. It is an incredible opportunity for our riders, horses and breeds to be showcased at an international level,” said Nancy Harvey, Marshal for the Versatile Arabian Parade group.

“Personally, it has been an honor for me to represent the Arabian and other breeds off and on for over 30 years,” Harvey said. "Our specific Arabian group has been together for over 14 years, we love to show case the joy and love we have for our horses both at the parade and in the more intimate environment of Equestfest. Thank you to our riders, their horses, our walkers, sponsors and especially our PIT crew. We couldn’t do it with out all of you,” she added.

The Rose Parade takes place annually on Jan. 1, but the equestrian participants have the opportunity to take part in a special preview called Equestfest on Dec. 29 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. Each unit gets to show off their skills in a two-hour family-friendly event that includes roping, drill teams, trick riders and cavalry displays before they take part in the parade itself. This year’s Equestfest culminated in a thrilling performance by the Riata Ranch Trick Riders, who performed daring stunts at full gallop around the arena.  

Participating in the Rose Parade and Equestfest is a special privilege - whether it’s a rider’s first time at the event, or if they’ve been attending it for years. “I rode in the Rose Parade in 2024, and I am walking in it this year,” said Paris Mahoney, a member of the AHA group.  “It was awesome last year riding in it for the first time., I’d always watched it on TV but to be there in person was really cool. I rode my horse Brandy side saddle last year, so it was pretty fun! Our group highlights all the different things that Arabian horses can do. We have costume horses, western, pleasure, hunter, country, endurance, etc.,” she explained.  

Kathryne Baldwin and her Arabian western pleasure horse, Psax, were also taking part in their second Rose Parade. “The parade is a lot of work. I guess when I was watching it on TV, I just thought you started at the start line then finished at the end!” Baldwin said. “We actually have to park on the freeway the night before the parade and the horses stay the night in the trailers, so you don’t get a lot of sleep. Instead, we get to walk to where the floats are staged and look at them up close, which is really neat.”  

Early on Jan. 1, the equestrians arrive at the parade route to stage on a street before the 8 a.m. start. “You have to make sure you are funneling in at the right place. It is a lot to ask of the horses,” Baldwin explained. Last year, she recalled, the AHA unit was behind a marching band with 300 musicians – and a color guard! However, “Psax was a pro, it was his first parade, and I was really proud of him as it was all very new to him. I think all of the horses handled it very well.”  

“Sometimes there is some stop and go when you are waiting for the parade to catch up with itself,” she explained. “At first, I was having to pull him to stop, but then eventually he figured that if the band in front of us stopped, then he would stop, and I didn’t have to tell him anymore.”  

Along with the experience of a lifetime, breed recognition is one of the biggest benefits of participating in the Rose Parade. “Being able to get these horses in front of a huge crowd of people like this is phenomenal,” Baldwin said. “For those of us who really love these horses, it is very important to carry that into the future. It is great to be in a group of like-minded people who are crazy dedicated to Arabians, promoting the same mission to bring these horses into the public eye and to let people know they are worth having.” 

Deborah Johnson, who rode in the 2025 parade on her horse, Coco Chanel, agreed that the chance to increase awareness of Arabians is invaluable. “The Rose Parade is a huge opportunity to get recognition for the Arabian breed. In today’s world of technology and all the things that people are exposed to, they don’t see horses the way they used to even 20 or 30 years ago,” she said. “For us to be able to come out to the public and show how great they are, how kind they are, and all the niches within the breed is so important. This is a great venue to put all of that on display.” 

Johnson stressed the adaptability of the Arabian breed. “We have racehorses, endurance, cutting and cow horses, reining horses, jumping and dressage horses, hunter, western, country [pleasure], side saddle ... we cover a lot of ground. No one individual horse can do all those things, but within the breed, we can,” she said. Johnson added that the temperament of the breed really makes them diverse. “They are a people’s horse. They like attention, they like their humans, and they want to have that interaction.”  

Also appearing in her second Rose Parade, Johnson said she had less anxiety than last year. “I’ve done it once before, so I know what to expect. I am just going to take it all in, enjoy the experience and share the horse with all the people who come out to see it,” she said of her plan ahead of the 2025 parade. “The most surprising thing last year was the sheer size of the experience. I didn’t have a phone or a watch on me because I just wanted to take it all in. It was just absolutely amazing! You see Camera Corner on TV, but you don’t get to see the rest of the route that goes on for miles and all the people who come out for it.” 

Similar to the AHA, the IALHA aims to represent the versatility of Andalusians and Lusitanos. “We have some folks with traditional Portuguese or Spanish tack and attire, plus charro, hunt seat, English and Western. The whole spectrum!” said Kaeli Dressler, who rode an Andalusian stallion named Milagro in the parade. “I was here in 2023. There are a number of folks on our team who have been in multiple parades, but we also have some that are here for the first time, so it is a mixed bag.” 

“Two years ago, I just tried to soak it all in and be in the moment. Once we were on the parade route, we were really able to relax and watch everyone enjoy seeing the horses as they went by. We got a great reaction; there were almost as many cheers as the pooper scoopers got!” Dressler laughed, referring to the team of volunteers tasked with cleaning up manure along the parade route. “At the end of the parade in 2023, one of our members was giving kids rides on his horse at the disbanding area, so that was really sweet.”  

Kimberly Brunson, of Texas Rose Horse Park, represented the jumping section of the Andalusian and Lusitano unit. “I got turned onto this breed by my horse, whose show name is First Order and stable name is Zepplin. He is a character. He is an orphan, and I didn’t even know that he was an Andalusian at first,” she said. “When I found out that he was, it turned me on to them because he is so talented at everything he does. Before him, I rode Thoroughbreds, Quarter Horses and warmbloods.” 

Brunson and Zepplin made their Rose Parade debut this year and had never been in a parade of that scope before. “He is taking it in like he’s done it every year. That just says something about the breed. I am just so excited and feel lucky that I get to participate in something like this,” she added. “All my friends and family will be watching. It is so important as this breed will be shown to the world over and over.” 

The Scripps Miramar Ranch of San Diego, Calif., celebrated the glory of Saddlebreds, among other breeds, in a beautiful display that included a horse-drawn coach driven by Michelle MacFarlane. The unit was joined by Queer Eye for the Straight Guy TV personality Carson Kressley, who shared his love for Saddlebreds in an interview with KTLA before the parade began. “Saddlebreds are just so great for this because they are elegant, they’re high-stepping, they’re comfortable, they’re smart, and they’re gorgeous!” he said, while holding a pinto named Zoom. “They’re the supermodels of the show ring.” Zoom wore a vintage saddle designed by designer Edward Bohlin, who was renowned for creating saddles that were used in Hollywood westerns of the 1920s and ‘30s. “They are made of sterling silver and are made exactly for parades, so we are so glad to be able to show them off here at the Rose Parade,” Kressley explained.  

 

The full lineup of equestrian units in the 2025 Rose Parade, in order of appearance, were as follows: 

US Marine Corps Color Guard 
The Valley Hunt Club 
New Buffalo Soldiers 
1st Calvary Horse Division 
Mini Therapy Horses 
Budweiser Clydesdales 
Northwest Spotted Drafts 
International Andalusian and Lusitano Horse Association 
Spirit of the West Riders 
Painted Ladies Rodeo Performers 
Arabian Horse Association Versatile Arabians 
Los Hermanos Banuelos Charro Team 
Norco Cowgirls Drill Team 
Blue Shadows Drill Team 
Scripps Miramar Ranch