Valley Hunt Club Friesian Hitch & Riders (#76) The Valley Hunt Club was founded in 1888 as a riding group to hunt jackrabbits and other game on horseback in the Pasadena fields and foothills. The group later founded the Tournament of Roses in 1890 and sponsored the parade the first six years of its existence (1890-1895). The 2006 Rose Parade marks the club's 35th year of participation.
The group appears in an antique 1860 green Landau carriage drawn by four Friesian horses. Friesian horses are a relatively rare, black colored breed that originated in Friesland, a province of the Netherlands. Graceful enough for riding and powerful enough for farming, the breed has been used by medieval knights, 17th century cavalry and World War II soldiers.
Marshal: Sarah Babcock
City of Palmdale (#77)
Float Theme: A Magical Place To Call Home
"A Magical Place to Call Home" is a twist on Palmdale's "A Place to Call Home" slogan. With delicate fluttering wings and a sparkling magic wand, this Harvest Fairy spreads joy and generosity with overflowing, bountiful cornucopias. A profusion of oversized apples, pears, grapes, squash, pumpkins and acorns flows from the largest of the three cornucopias. Two magnificent bouquets of sculptured magnolia blossoms cascade from cornucopias at the rear of the float. Sculptured morning glories and mushrooms frame the float.
The porcelain skin tone of the Harvest Fairy is a mix of walnut shell, white cornmeal and paprika. Her costume is artistically created in coconut and glistening lunaria with delicate wings of purple dendrobium orchid florets, hot pink sinuata statice, yellow marigolds and gold strawflowers. Floral arrangements of white Casablanca lilies, gladiolus, euphorbia, tuberose, phaleonopsis and dendrobium orchids are intermixed with burgundy Sumatra lilies, pink roses, antherium and ginger. Gardens of 25,000 gold Queensday and yellow Gold Strike roses complete this floral fantasy.
Band: Canadian Massed Pipes and Drums (#78)
Location: Ontario, Canada
The Canadian Massed Pipes and Drums is a family oriented venture with an age range of 12 to 80 years old. Ross Baxter directs the 62-member band, which includes one drum major, 18 percussion, two banner carriers and 10 color guard. Their uniforms are mixed Scottish tartans. Most of the pieces they perform are original bagpipe music.
The band has performed in 26 countries and in nearly every province in Canada. They boast four previous performances in the Rose Parade. They have toured Scotland five times and during their last trip, they performed for Her Majesty and other members of the Royal Family at Balmoral Castle.
Burbank Tournament of Roses Association/City of Burbank (#79)
Float Theme: Pachyderm Parade
What could be more magical than the circus coming to town—especially one with a flying elephant? This float depicts Papa Elephant going after the peanuts from a crashed peanut cart, while Mama tries to stop him and Baby enjoys the flight hanging onto Mama's tail. The crashed peanut cart is made of red carnations and yellow cornmeal. Garbanzo beans create the bumpy texture of the peanut shells. Papa Elephant's withered skin is crushed black/silver lichen, and his headpiece and blanket are Orange Unique roses with a lavish design of Red France roses, Leonidas roses and green Kermit button mums. Mama Elephant's headpiece and blanket are Valerie roses outlined with Osiana and Hot Princess roses. Baby Elephant's skin is created with crushed Ming moss and mauve strawflower.
With one of only six self-built floats in the parade, the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association is a year-round organization, composed entirely of volunteers, who design, build and decorate their float each year.
War Horse and Militaria Heritage Foundation (#80)
The War Horse and Militaria Heritage Foundation educates and entertains the public with a musical ride showing the pomp and circumstance of famous cavalry regiments throughout the world. They also give historical lectures and demonstrations promoting the role of the horse in military history. The majority of riders are on Arabians, which are known for their intelligence, stamina and endurance. The Arabian horse goes back thousands of years as a pure breed and is the foundation horse of many breeds today. Able to travel for distances of over 100 miles, they were popular in history as light cavalry.
The Foundation presents two famous regiments: the Scots Greys of 1815 at their charge at Waterloo and the British 17th Lancers of 1879 in South Africa. Most of the saddles are original European cavalry saddles from the 19th century.
Marshal: Fritz Bronner
Downey Rose Float Association (#81)
Float Theme: Polar Wonderland
The Downey float depicts a wintry snow globe with polar bears inside. The globe has broken, and the polar bears have magically come to life and are escaping the snow globe. Tropical flowers with 3,000 white roses, 3,500 orchids and 1,500 irises produce the snowy effect. Float riders include Miss Downey 2006, Robyn Guggiana, joined by her princesses Justine Akil, Krystal Duncans, Amanda Thoreson and Jacqueline Munoz.
The Downey Rose Float Association first entered the parade in 1913, became incorporated in 1952 and has entered a float in the parade every year since. Float decorators are all volunteers; some have worked on the floats since they were small children and now they bring their own children.
