I always feel a thrill watching the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. I do have to admit though, I didn’t miss riding in the parade this year — not even a little bit.
It was great fun riding those 8 years with my group “The Sons and Daughters of the Reel West.” But, I really don’t miss getting only 4 hours of sleep on New Year’s Eve so that we would be in Pasadena by midnight. Grabbing a couple of cat naps between helping to get the horses ready, getting dressed ourselves and being in the saddle by 6AM for the parade to start at 8!!! If we were really lucky, we got to be in the first half of the parade and were done around 11AM but that only happened a couple of times.
What I really do miss, is the great fun our group had! Diamond Farnsworth, Wyatt McCrea, Anne Lockhart, Jennifer Rogers Etcheverry, Kiki Ebsen, Patrick Wayne, Tad Devine, Tom Rowan, Lisa Hamblen, Judy Whisenant, Bridget Madison, my sister Dodie Rogers Patterson, Peggy Stewart, Rusty Richards, Peter Brown and my nephew Rob Roy Johnson rode with the group most of those 8 years. Lee Horsley and a few others only rode one time – like my brother Dusty and my nephew Dustin Rogers.
Even though we were often giddy from lack of sleep by the end of the parade, most of us still agree that it was one of the most exciting and enjoyable things we have ever done!
2 comments
Very nice and there is a very nice article in the latest issue of “Classic Images” on Kiki Ebsen and her father. If you haven’t seen it or don’t have a copy let me know and I will get it to you
I’ve missed watching the Rose Bowl parade for years. Do remember seeing the one led by your mom and dad.
Never seen it in person but used to enjoy watching it on TV.