Rose Parade more than ride for equestrian family

Rainbow’s Brown family participated in the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade with the Spirit of the West Riders, a task which included riding the 5 1/2-mile parade route.

“You’re not done until the very last step of the horse from where the crowd is,” Colleen Brown said. “It’s not just entertainment for that small section where the TV cameras are.”

That ride is actually rather easy compared to what approximately one million spectators and 40 million television viewers don’t see. “It probably is one of the easier parts,” said Lori Brown. “All the work is done and you get to enjoy yourself during that time.”

Participation in the parade required several hours of preparation prior to the parade, as well as a return of the Brown family members and their horses to Rainbow. What wasn’t observed by the public included a traffic signal sensor which didn’t recognize the hauler, minimal sleep, distraction from breakfast, and a flat tire during the return home.

The 2007 Rose Parade was the ninth for Lori Brown, the eighth for Jerry Brown, and the seventh for Colleen Brown. Two of those were with the Ramona Pageant while the remainder have been with the Spirit of the West Riders, who ride for the John Wayne Cancer Foundation and portray characters representative of the American West. Phil Spangenberger, the leader of the Spirit of the West Riders, insists on historical accuracy other than allowing the use of breast collars for safety. The clothing, saddles, and bridles replicate those used by men and women who rode the frontier between 1840 and 1920.

Jerry and Colleen Brown wore the costumes they had donned in past parades. Jerry Brown wore a high plains cattleman costume while his wife rode in a cowgirl’s outfit. In the 2005 and 2006 parades Lori Brown utilized an outfit she made herself which was based on the clothing of Wild West show performer May Lillie. This year Lori Brown rode in a Victorian sidesaddle outfit she has previously worn for horse shows but not for the Rose Parade; Brown’s skirt from 2006 was slightly damaged by the rain which dominated last year’s parade although the rest of her 2006 costume suffered no harm from the downpour.

Lori Brown put the finishing touches on the dress and her top hat the week before the parade. The top hat was obtained at an auction in early 2006, and Brown made repairs to the hat and added ribbon before displaying it at the Rose Parade. The motorhome and horse trailer were mostly loaded by the time the Browns and their support crew left the house about 7:30 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The next 30 minutes were spent checking the lights on the motorhome and trailer and loading horses Bud, Juan, and Moonlight into the trailer. “That went smoothly. Everybody was ready to go,” Colleen Brown said. A problem was discovered December 29; the heater had gone out in the motorhome. “We would have gone without it,” Jerry Brown said. The Browns were able to obtain a specialist to fix the motorhome’s heater before they left. “Made it more comfortable,” Colleen Brown said. There was also another slight problem December 29 during the Equifest that day at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. The Browns, along with Ron and Dianne Dreher and Patrick Smith (who is Lori Brown’s boyfriend), had traveled to Los Angeles the day before to attend a party for the equestrian units at the Gene Autry Western Heritage Museum. The Browns took the motorhome and trailer while the Drehers drove up in a van, allowing the trailer to stay at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center while the Browns and Smith rode to the Gene Autry Museum in the van. The Drehers spent the night in a Los Angeles area hotel and returned to the Equestrian Center the following morning. During the Equifest Jerry Brown performed a mounted shooting rifle exhibition and also helped with a lance act. Lori Brown raced Linda Spangenberger in a sidesaddle mounted shooting exhibition. Smith, making his debut as Rose Parade support staff, also helped set up targets and was forced to make a quick trip to the side of the arena. “I didn’t realize that they had already let Lori and Linda into the arena,” he said. Smith, who lives in Ramona, knew to move to the front rather than the back when getting out of the way. Smith helped load the horses on New Year’s Eve with no problems. “We had everything together by then,” Lori Brown said.

Lori Brown noted that the hard work occurred earlier in the day, when the horses were cleaned and groomed. “Loading them into the motorhome, that’s pretty easy,” she said.

Had the flat tire occurred on the way up rather than on the way back, the Browns had allowed sufficient time for a flat even on the motorhome, which would require delivery of a new tire as well as installation. After leaving at approximately 8:00 p.m., the motorhome descended Rainbow Heights Road.

“It’s a unique road,” Colleen Brown said. “We cautiously go down it.”

The darkness is actually beneficial to taking a motorhome with a horse trailer down that road, since oncoming traffic has headlights on and cars are more noticeable. “Much easier at night,” Jerry Brown said.

The Browns entered Interstate 15 and stayed on the freeway until turning west on State Route 91, northwest on State Route 71, and west on Interstate 210. “I didn’t feel we were going that fast, so I thought we’d pick the shorter route,” Jerry Brown said.

A screen on the dashboard is actually a monitor; a camera views the trailer as well as other traffic behind the motorhome. The monitor displays a green-and-white image, so with a couple of windows in front of the pointed-front trailer along with lights on top of the trailer, the trailer looks like an alien when viewed from an angle. “As long as we keep seeing that alien, we are good,” Lori Brown said.

The Spirit of the West Riders met at a parking lot in Rosemead to caravan into Pasadena. The Browns felt it better to arrive early than to risk a flat tire and arrive late, and the motorhome arrived from Rainbow at 9:45 p.m. The scheduled time to meet was 11:00 p.m., and the early arrival served an advantage other than the safety net. “It does give the horses a little rest as well. With the vehicle not moving, they get to relax a little bit,” Colleen Brown said.

The next hauler and trailer arrived at 10:20 p.m., and eight haulers and trailers carrying fifteen riders and support staff left the parking lot at 11:20 p.m.

“We did have a snafu as the light froze in the red position,” Jerry Brown said. “The signal light wouldn’t change.” Brown was driving the motorhome and Ron Dreher was in the front seat. Dreher exited to press the crosswalk button activating the light and then returned to the motorhome, which crossed the road and returned to Interstate 210.

The information obtained by the Tournament of Roses Committee prior to the parade includes not only the names of the riders but also the length of the haulers and trailers. That allows for coordination of equestrian unit parking on a closed-off section of freeway at the end of State Route 134. “They have it all marked off,” Colleen Brown said.

“We had a light right by our group spot,” Colleen Brown said. “That made it convenient for our group to be able to see everything.”

The Spirit of the West vehicles arrived about 11:40 and were parked at about 11:45. Approximately 15 minutes into 2007, Phil Spangenberger commenced the group meeting. “Equestrians are really the personality of the Rose Parade,” Spangenberger said.

All 15 of the Spirit of the West Riders had previously been in the Rose Parade, but Spangenberger provided the riders with their rows and positions during the meeting. The group normally has 16 riders, but one of the long-time members is in the National Guard and was in Fort Riley, Kansas, in preparation for a 14-month trip to Afghanistan.

Spangenberger’s words included comments about the John Wayne Cancer Foundation, which has initiated a “Team Duke” program which affiliates with runs, bicycle rides, and other events. Spangenberger read a letter of praise from Ethan Wayne, who now runs Wayne Enterprises, and passed out a John Wayne Cancer Foundation kit which included a T-shirt, sunscreen, a sticker, and a temporary tattoo.

Spangenberger and Jerry Brown also passed out the equestrian ribbons and pins for the 2007 Rose Parade, and they also distributed replacement ribbons for the 2006 parade since the original ribbons had been damaged in the rain. “It was nice to have those. That way you can at least put it up,” Colleen Brown said of the replacement 2006 ribbon. “It’s a nice keepsake to have one in good shape.”

Spangenberger and Larry Brady had attended a December 30 marshals’ meeting on behalf of the group, and Brady also addressed the riders. The riders were reminded of the flags and proper responses for floats on fire, runaway floats, and obstacles such as oil leaks, and they were also told of three scheduled stoppages for songs by the Oak Ridge Boys and an American Idol singer and for a float at the time given only by number but which would involve “Rocketman” leaving the Oklahoma Rising float on a jet pack, flying over Colorado Boulevard, and landing on the ground to a huge audience applause.

The Oklahoma Rising float celebrating the centennial of Oklahoma statehood was entry number 50. The Spirit of the West Riders were entry number 81, so they were not on the parade route during the three scheduled stoppages. “It didn’t affect us. We walked right through,” Lori Brown said.

The equestrian units wait on Waverly Avenue before merging onto the start of the parade route between floats, so the Browns didn’t see Rocketman in person. They saw his flight after returning home and watching the videotape of the parade. “I liked that. I wish we could have seen it in person, but that’s why we have to tape it on TV,” Lori Brown said.

“It was exciting, though, with us on our horses watching the stealth bombers go by,” Colleen Brown said.

The late position in the parade meant that the Browns were riding from the staging area to Waverly Avenue when the B-2A stealth bomber and two F-22A Raptor fighter planes flew over Colorado Boulevard. “We had a really good view,” Lori Brown said.

“It just gives you a good feeling to be an American,” Colleen Brown said.

The comments by Brady and Spangenberger also included a reminder about timely applications for the 2008 parade. The first application packet includes a description of the group and a photo as well as the application form. “It takes quite a while to do that,” Brady said.

After the group is accepted, releases are signed and sent to Brady or Spangenberger and submitted to the Tournament of Roses Committee in another binder. Spangenberger then creates a public relations binder about the group and some of its members. “It’s all the sort of things that make it interesting for a potential announcer to look at,” Spangenberger said.

The correspondence also includes the trailer and hauler information. “It’s not just putting it into an envelope and sending it on to them,” Brady said.

The Spirit of the West Riders have been in the Rose Parade every year since 1992, and the reminder increases the chances that they will return for the 2008 parade. The riders and support staff were also reminded to clean up all items, including animal droppings, from the area before departing.

The group meeting lasted about 45 minutes and took place beside the Browns’ motorhome. That motorhome has an exterior slide, and prior to the meeting refreshments were set up. Some of those refreshments were consumed after the meeting.

At about 1:00 a.m. the Browns and Smith removed the horses from the trailer to exercise them and put feed and water into the trailer. They spent about 15 minutes exercising their horses.

The equestrian units have choices during the night. Some members leave their horses outside while others leave their horses in the trailer. “We like to keep ours inside. They are quite content in there,” Colleen Brown said.

Some members capture what little sleep they can while others stay outside and talk or stroll to Orange Grove Avenue to see the floats as the finishing touches and last-minute floral repairs are being made. The Browns, the Drehers, and Smith opted for sleep. “At that time of night I don’t want to leave the horses,” Lori Brown said.

Phil Spangenberger spent the night outside in conversation while his wife joined the Browns and their support staff in the motorhome. The Drehers slept on the bed in the back, Linda Spangenberger used a sofa bed, and the Browns and Smith slept on the floor. “All in all it was pretty crowded, but it works,” Colleen Brown said.

“You doze off and on,” Colleen Brown said. “You can hear other people outside.”

Colleen Brown estimated that she slept for about an hour and a half. “I don’t sleep well when people are talking,” she said.

Jerry Brown guessed that he slept between two and three hours. Lori Brown estimated that she had between 3 1/2 and four hours of sleep. Smith’s estimate was between four and 4 1/2 hours. “I actually slept. I was surprised,” Smith said.

This year there was no rain, although the weather was somewhat cold. Lori Brown noted that it was more cool than cold. “It wasn’t bad at all. I did put foot warmers on my shoes,” she said. “Once the sun came up, then it was really nice.”

The alarm was set for 5:30, although the Browns woke up closer to 5:00 without the help of the alarm. The Browns and Linda Spangenberger got dressed, which including hair considerations took 35 to 40 minutes. The three females were aided by the motorhome’s three mirrors. “That’s where our motorhome really comes in handy,” Jerry Brown said.

Dianne Dreher is a professional hairdresser and barber at Village Barber Shop, so she helped with the riders’ hair care. “Whatever needs to be done they help do,” Colleen Brown said of the Drehers and Smith. “It’s a lot of valuable help ‘cause you’re tired at that time.”

Smith’s duties included feed duties for the horses. “He’s a fast learner,” Colleen Brown said. “Patrick was there anytime something needed to be moved or held on to.”

The Drehers have previously helped the Browns with Rose Parade duties. “I think they enjoy being part of our team,” Colleen Brown said.

“It made our job a lot easier having those three people helping us,” Colleen Brown said. “They’re there to assist, so it made it nice.”

Lori Brown had left Rainbow with her hair in curlers. “I was happy with my hair. It was worth the pain of the curlers,” she said.

Since the route from the staging area to the entry area was between one and two miles, there was no need to exercise the horses before leaving. “They’re already exercised before they get on the parade route,” Colleen Brown said.

The horses were removed from the trailer and saddled before the riders were in the saddle by 7:15 a.m. One item which was skipped by Colleen and Lori Brown was breakfast. “I was so busy getting dressed and getting Moonlight saddled. I meant to get something and just forgot,” Lori Brown said.

“I grabbed half a muffin,” Jerry Brown said. “We were very hungry when we finished.”

In & Out had provided hamburgers at the end of the parade route, which the Browns didn’t reach until early afternoon. “Once in a while we would move past a fast food restaurant,” Colleen Brown said. “Sometimes you could actually smell the food.”

The Spirit of the West Riders left the staging area about 8:00 a.m. after a Tournament of Roses Committee member provided the call to line up. About half an hour later Ron Dreher drove the motorhome, with his wife on the sofa and Smith in the passenger front seat, to the equestrian parking area near the end of the parade route.

The Spirit of the West Riders entered the parade route about 9:30 a.m. “The parade we thought moved along pretty good,” Colleen Brown said. No unscheduled stops occurred, although at the end of the parade route a slowdown is normal. For the Browns that stop occurred under the Interstate 210 overpass, which augmented the noise. “It seemed like a long wait,” Colleen Brown said.

“Even then it wasn’t very slow. We had to wait just a little bit,” Lori Brown said.

The Browns had been waving and smiling along the 5 1/2-mile parade route. “You’re sort of stiff,” Colleen Brown said.

The Browns reached the end of the parade route shortly after noon. “The first thing we do is take the bridles off,” Jerry Brown said.

The horses are then unsaddled and given water, a light brushing, and feed. Ron Dreher helped with the brushing and also ensured that the unit would maintain public contact. “A lot of people walk by and want to pet the horses and want to know about the parade,” Jerry Brown said.

Jerry Brown had a short trip away from the trailer. “The neighbors there are real friendly. I needed some more water and got some water from the neighbor’s hose,” he said.

The Browns then ate their hamburgers. After the Browns and the support staff cleaned up, they said their goodbyes to the other Spirit of the West Riders and watched a video of the Equifest before departing. The Browns were the last of the Spirit of the West Riders to leave. “We’re not in a big hurry,” Jerry Brown said. “There’s no reason to sit there in heavy traffic.”

The Browns left Pasadena about 2:15 in the afternoon. “The traffic was not bad by that time,” Colleen Brown said.

The Browns were in Temecula when an adjacent motorist pointed to the motorhome. Ron Dreher, who was driving on the way back, pulled to the side of the road, and the motorhome occupants recognized a flat tire on the trailer.

Lori Brown was sleeping when Dreher pulled to the freeway shoulder. “We pulled over and then I found out we had a flat tire,” she said.

The Browns carry not only a spare tire for the trailer but also a block which will pick up the good tire so that a jack is not needed. Ron Dreher, Jerry Brown, and Smith changed the tire, a task which took about ten minutes. “It wasn’t that bad. We had it changed fast,” Lori Brown said.

The Browns returned in Rainbow about 4:00 p.m. New Year’s Day. They removed Bud, Juan, and Moonlight from the trailer and returned them to their corral. “They were happy,” Lori Brown said.

The Browns fed all of their horses while the Drehers collected their items and returned home. Before going to bed at about 8:00 p.m. the Browns and Smith watched the videotape of the parade and ate the leftover spaghetti from the previous night’s dinner.

Minor follow-up took place January 2, although the items from the motorhome weren’t removed until later. “We usually try to take a day off and not attempt it right away,” Colleen Brown said.

The experience from previous parades has helped the Browns refine their routine. “It all went very well and was a lot of fun,” Lori Brown said.

“It is exciting, it is fun, but it is a lot of preparation to do it,” Jerry Brown said.