17 Equestrian Groups To Participate in This Year’s Equestfest

On Friday, Dec. 30, the equestrians participating in the 134th Rose Parade will showcase their breeds and demonstrate their talent with performances at Equestfest on Friday, Dec, 30 at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center. 

All seventeen equestrian groups that will be marching in parade on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023 will be part of Equestfest on Friday. 

“Get up close and personal with the 2023 Rose Parade equestrian units at Equestfest. Watch beautiful horses and talented riders perform drills and dances and demonstrate trick riding and roping,” according to the event organizers. 

“This family friendly event includes an exciting equestrian show, musical performances, and a food and vendor court. The equestrian show features both a variety of horse breeds, as well as a variety of riding disciplines,” Candy Carlson, Director of Communications for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, said. 

“Attendees are invited to stroll through the stables, meet equestrian participants, and participate in educational and interactive exhibits. At the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, participants have access to warm up arenas and wash racks.”

General admission tickets are $20 each and VIP tickets are $45 each. They can be bought at https://tickets.sharpseating.com/p/tickets11/events/equestfest

Equestrian units have been an integral part of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses since the tradition started on Jan. 1, 1890. That year, the Pasadena Valley Hunt Club, in their lavishly decorated horse-drawn carriages, made up a good portion of the parade, and that has been the story ever since.

Each unit offers a variety of exceptional skills as well as unique costumes. Equestfest will be at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center.

“Tournament of Roses officials created the Tournament of Roses Equestrian Festival – now known as ‘Equestfest’ – after watching the group of vaulters put on a show for spectators in Victory Park following their participation in the 1988 Rose Parade,” Carlson said. “In doing so, Tournament officials hoped to create an event that complimented equestrians’ Rose Parade experience and showcased each equestrian unit as Bandfest does with marching bands.”

With this upcoming Rose Parade theme, “Turning the Corner,” these 17 units will complement the floats and bands that will turn the corner of Orange Grove Blvd. and head down Colorado Blvd. during the 2023 Rose Parade.

At Equestfest, groups perform their best tricks, drills, dancing and roping skills, and attendees can walk through the stables and meet and greet with the riders and horses.

Here’s the line-up of the 17 equestrian units that are going to be part of the 2023 Tournament of Roses:  

• 1st Cavalry Division Mounted Horse Cavalry Detachment
  
• Alameda County Sheriff’s Mounted Posse
  
• Blue Shadows Mounted Drill Team
  
• California Cowgirls Rodeo Drill Team
  
• California State Guard 26th Mounted Operations Detachment
  
• Compton Cowboys
  
• Express Clydesdales
  
• International Andalusian and Lusitano Association
  
• Los Hermanos Banuelos
  
• Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard
  
• Norco Cowgirls Drill Team
  
• Painted Ladies Rodeo Performers
  
• Ramona California Outdoor Play
  
• Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Unit
  
• Scripps Miramar Ranch – American Saddlebred Horses
  
• Spirit of the West Riders
  
• The New Buffalo Soldiers
  

The gates at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center open at 10 a.m. Vendor court and activities will start at 10 a.m. and continue until 3 p.m. The actual Equestrian Show is from 12 to 2 p.m.

For more information about Equestfest, visit www.tournamentofroses.com/event/equestfest/.