California Highway Patrol Mounted Patrol to March in Rose Parade

The California Highway Patrol’s Mounted Patrol Unit will march with pride along the 2017 Pasadena Tournament of Roses parade route – one of 25 equestrian teams that were selected out of hundreds of applicants to take part in the Rose Parade.

On Wednesday, December 28, the six CHP riders and their horses made the journey from Sacramento to Pasadena, by truck and trailer, to get settled before marching along the route down Colorado Blvd. and be part of the more than 100-year-old Rose Parade tradition, a report on The Sacramento Bee said.

The Bee also printed the names of the participating riders and their horses: Officer Kevin Hickman with horse PJ, Officer Joseph Davis with horse Oliver, Officer Joshua Cavolt with horse Sampson, Sgt. Kassandra DiMaggio with horse Bones, Officer Richard Anglesey with horse Dario, and Officer Wesley Fish with horse Wyatt.

“The CHP is honored and excited to be a part of an event many of us grew up watching every New Year,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “The parade, much like the CHP, has a very rich history full of tradition and pride.”

This year marks the 87th anniversary of the CHP and the 30th anniversary of the Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit.

The CHP’s equestrian team is assigned to the Capitol Protection Section and consists of seven riders and six draft horses. The mounted patrol officers are responsible for the State Capitol and Capitol Park, as well as hundreds of state properties in downtown Sacramento.

A CHP press release said the unit conducts general patrol missions and other functions, and is always ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.

Other notable appearances for the CHP equestrian unit include the San Francisco St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Hollywood Christmas Parade, Los Angeles Kingdom Day Parade, Lake Tahoe 4th of July celebration, University of California Equestrian Days, and both the Coarsegold and Red Bluff Round-Up Rodeos.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of “Safety, Service and Security.”