Everyone Loves A Parade/March of the Thousand Horses

Recently, I went to downtown Fort Worth ("Cowtown") to see a 'western' parade - it was called the 2009 Fort Worth Stock Show's "All Western Parade". I tell ya, it was THE longest parade I have ever seen - we were there for almost 2 hours and it wasn't even almost over when we left. And there were NO motorized vehicles in the entire parade! It was filled with about a billion horses, cowboys, high school bands, every kind of sherriff's posse you could image, riding clubs, civil war reinactment soldiers, cowgirl organizations, the Wells Fargo stagecoach, clydesdale horses, etc. You name it, it was there. I saw LOTS of chaps, spurs, cowboy boots - I loved it all!

Here is what the Fort Worth Stock Show's website said about the parade:

Don’t miss the tradition of the Fort Worth Stock Show’s “All Western Parade” scheduled Saturday, January 17 at 11 AM, Downtown Fort Worth! The Stock Show Parade is held each year on the first Saturday of the Show. Nearly 100,000 spectators line the streets of downtown Cowtown to watch this spectacular annual event. Plenty of horses and other livestock can be seen – but no motorized vehicles are allowed!

I was a picture-taking fool at this parade - it was awesome! Everything was soooo Texas - just how I like it. It made me want to learn how to 2-step right then and there!

Here are some of my pics from the parade:

I love clydesdales!

The horses were GORGEOUS in this parade. I just couldn't stop taking pictures of them!

Here's the Wells Fargo stagecoach:

And what would a 'western' parade be without the mascot for the Texas Rangers baseball team??
Some southern belles on horseback:

Here's the Tarrant County Sherriff's Posse (this is the county I live in - includes Fort Worth):



Another sherriff's posse:



These ladies were awesome - they rode the entire length of the parade standing up on their horses!!



Some civil war reenactors:


Here's a high school band - they were playing "The stars at night, are big and bright.....deep in the heart of TEXAS!"

And last, but not least, a little Senorita on a mini horse - how cute!!