Last Friday, when we were in Pendleton, we watched the Westward Ho Parade. It was awesome!
No motorized entries are allowed in this parade, so it is all horses and humans and a variety of animals.
This is the mounted band and they are amazing. Not only are they good riders, but great musicians and so fun to watch and listen to. They also stopped by Hamley’s Saturday morning when I was there signing books.
This team of oxen were getting a little stubborn by the end of the parade, but they really were something to see.
There were too many rodeo queens and courts to count. The Happy Canyon royalty were really impressive. I loved the intricate detail and the beautiful colors of their ensembles. Absolutely gorgeous.
This is my great-nephew Will. Once he finished eating Twinkies for breakfast, he turned his attention to the parade. Particularly to the rodeo queens and their courts. When they rode by I thought his little arm would fall off from his wild waving. The only other thing that got him as excited as all the pretty girls were the copious amounts of candy thrown his direction. I can see we are going to have a problem with this one when he grows up. Only seven and already trying to charm the girls.
I think my favorite thing about the parade, besides watching Will wave at the rodeo courts, was the mounted flags. There were 102 of them – one for every year of the Round-Up.
It was a fabulous display that made me quite proud to be American.
She Who Loves A Good Parade
