Different horse, local driver new for Browns in Rose Parade

Rainbow’s Brown family has been in the Tournament of Roses Parade in the past, but new items this year included a different horse and a local couple who helped assist the Browns with transportation logistics.

Bud made his first Tournament of Roses Parade appearance while Ron and Dianne Dreher operated the motor home while in Pasadena.

Jerry Brown made his sixth appearance in the Tournament of Roses Parade. The 2005 parade was the third riding appearance and fifth overall appearance for Brown’s wife, Colleen. Their daughter, Lori, made her seventh overall appearance in the parade.

“It’s still a thrill when you turn and face down Colorado Boulevard,” Jerry said.

The Brown family rode as part of the Spirit of the West Riders, who ride for the John Wayne Cancer Institute and portray characters representative of the American West. Phil Spangenberger, the leader of the Spirit of the West Riders, insists on historical accuracy. The clothing, saddles and bridles replicate those used by men and women who rode the frontier between 1840 and 1920. “Phil really is an aficionado of Old West history,” Jerry said. “We try to be like the way it was in those days.”

Jerry wore a high plains cattleman costume for the Rose Parade, Colleen wore a cowgirl’s outfit and Lori modeled the outfit she made herself that was based on the clothing of Wild West show performer May Lillie. Other riders represented mountain men, Wild West show performers, cowboys, cowgirls, Californios, cavalry and Canadian mounted police. “We are a small part in the big picture. There is so much energy, excitement and tradition,” Lori said. “It’s hard to describe.”

Lori and Colleen both rode Arabians for the parade; Lori rode Moonlight on Silver Sands and her mother rode Juan for the Money. Both horses had appeared in previous Rose Parades.

The Browns acquired another mounted shooting horse, Bud, in 2004, and Bud made his Rose Parade debut this year. “He was quite his usual self. He was just fine. He didn’t have any problems at all,” Jerry said of Bud.

The parade included portions in which crowds on both sides shouted “Happy New Year!” “That makes a very loud ‘Happy New Year,’ so he was very curious about that,” Jerry said, “but he had no trouble.”

Jerry felt Bud’s experience with mounted shooting allowed him to handle the noises. “Bud is really a great horse, and he’s done tons of mounted shooting, so he’s used to loud noises,” he said. “I could tell when I swung my leg over his back that he was going to be fine.”

There was some doubt about Jerry himself, who had been treated for a blood clot in October and had spent time away from the saddle. “They really didn’t want me riding, but I just decided I was going to do it anyway,” he said. The medical advice was that riding itself would not hinder the recovery but a fall could cause internal bleeding. Jerry was confident that he would stay on his horse. “I felt really confident about Bud and I’m a fairly good rider,” he said. “I just really love the Rose Parade, and I thought it would be okay with Bud.”

The time off from riding did affect Jerry somewhat during the five-and-a-half-mile parade. “I was really sore because I hadn’t been riding for a while,” he said. “Usually, that ride wouldn’t have bothered me at all. If you’re used to riding you don’t get sore, but if you get out of the habit of it then your legs get sore.”

The distance didn’t bother Bud. “He was his usual princely self,” Jerry said.

The Browns made three trips from Rainbow to Los Angeles County for the parade festivities. On December 28 the equestrian units invited to the Rose Parade attended a party at the Gene Autry Museum of Western Heritage. The Drehers also attended the Gene Autry Museum party. “They really like the Old West,” Colleen said of the Drehers.

The equestrian units participated in the annual Equifest December 30 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center in Burbank. Lori participated in a sidesaddle shooting exhibition in which she successfully shot all ten of her balloons. She shot on Bud at the Equifest. “It’s an honor to be around so many other top equestrians,” she said. “It was also a lot of fun.”

Jerry threw balloons for Phil Spangenberger’s aerial shooting demonstration while Colleen videotaped Equifest events.

The Equifest was moved from the Rose Bowl to the Los Angeles Equestrian Center the previous year due to the cost savings of not having to set up an arena, and in 2004 the Burbank location turned out to be more advantageous for another reason. “It was muddy everywhere outside, but it was a covered arena,” Colleen said.

The uncertain weather forced an earlier than normal departure from Rainbow December 31, and the certainty of rain at home created other difficulties. “It was a hard day getting everybody nice and clean,” Colleen said. “It was a real challenge in the rain.”

The Browns left Rainbow at approximately 7:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Ron and Dianne Dreher drove the motor home to the final staging site.

“It’s very nice to have them. We really enjoyed their company. They’re a great couple,” Colleen said.

“We look forward to doing it again, because we love helping them,” Dianne said.

The Browns arrived in Pasadena around 9:30 p.m. They walked their horses before returning the horses to the trailer. After some sleep, they awoke at 2:30 a.m. for a riders’ meeting. Additional preparations included brushing and saddling the horses and donning their costumes before mounting and moving to their order position for the parade.

No rain fell during the final trip to Pasadena. “The weather held out for us, which was really good,” Lori said.

The Browns’ experience complemented the beneficial weather in making the Browns’ part of the parade go well. “I thought it was one of our easiest Rose Parades,” Colleen Brown said.

“Everything turned out great,” Colleen said. “Everything just ran really smooth.”

The tasks have become easier over the years. “We know how to organize ourselves, what we need, what we don’t need,” Lori said. “It’s easier, which makes it more fun because then it’s less stressful and there’s more time to enjoy the moment.” Jerry believes that the parade itself was simpler due to the family’s experience. “We know the exact route,” he said. Jerry also noted the increased experience of two of the family’s horses. “Our horses are very good at doing this,” he said. “They’re calm, we’re calm.”

Colleen was able to spot a cousin who lives in Hacienda Heights in the stands. “It’s really fun to see someone I know,” she said. “It’s a special feeling when you see a family member along the parade route.”

Colleen felt that the crowd was larger than usual. “I thought there were more people this year than before,” she said. “The sides of the road were just lined solid with people.”

Lori also noted the size of the crowd. “The crowd seemed really energetic and there were more people, especially at the end. I’ve never seen it so crowded towards the end before,” she said.

Previous parades may have made this year’s ride easier, but it didn’t lessen the excitement of the experience. “Everything about it is exciting,” Jerry said. “It’s a real kick.”