Thursday, January 5, 2012

Apple Valley residents celebrate 'awesome' Rose Parade float; Roy Rogers 'Happy Trails' wins trophy

PASADENA - The 100 Golden Palominos in front of the "Happy Trails" float was a sight that won't be forgotten by those who knew "The King of the Cowboys."

"It was awesome," said longtime friend Bob Tinsley of Apple Valley, who watched the 123rd Rose Parade on a television set at St. Mary Medical Center.

While Tinsley watched the parade from the hospital, where he was discharged Monday afternoon, his home video recording device was rolling.

"Oh, we'll be watching that part of the parade, again and again," he said.

Tinsley said from the televised vantage point, the 100 riders holding American flags flowed right into the 75-foot-long float, which celebrated Rogers' recent 100th birthday.

As `Happy

Trails' was the last float in the parade, it looked like the 100 horses and riders were part of the float, he said.

The float, which was sponsored by RFD-TV, featured Roy's son, Dusty and grandson, Dustin Rogers, singing "Happy Trails" - the theme song to Roy and his wife, Dale's popular 1960s television show.

The float also featured the real Trigger and Bullet, Roy's horse and dog companions during the series, which have been preserved through taxidermy.

RDF-TV purchased the two icons of the TV series at an auction, which had been on display at museums in Apple Valley, Victorville and Branson, Mo.

One rider from the 100-member Palominos on Parade group was thrown at the corner of Orange Grove and Colorado Boulevard, and another horse from the group decided to cut out at the turn, but no injuries were reported, officials said.

The float won the Tournament Special Trophy for exceptional merit in multiple classifications.

Although the "Happy Trails" parade loomed large, the 116-foot "Surf's Up" float by Natural Balance was actually the longest - and heaviest - in Tournament of Roses Parade history.

The 100,000-pound plus float had an 80-foot stretch of water featuring several dogs on surfboards.

Several other entries in the 5.5-mile parade had strong Inland Empire ties.

Former San Bernardino resident Amarion Adams, who at age 6 was killed in 2010 in a drive-by shooting and Melanie Miers, another drive-by shooting victim were celebrated on Donate Life's Rose Parade float.

Melanie was on the water polo, swimming and cross country teams at San Bernardino High School when she was killed.

Both childrens' organs were donated so others could be helped.

Four employees of Kaiser Permanente's Fontana Medical Center walked along with the parent company's float titled "Every Body Walk!", which goes with the healthcare organization's campaign to keep people active and healthy.

The Cal Poly Universities' "To the Rescue" float got high visibility as the sixth entry in the parade.

The float is classified as self-built, one in five to get that designation. The entry is the only one produced solely by students and alumni. The two campuses have been submitting entries in the parade since 1949 and have won several awards.

Following the two-hour parade came several thousand anti-Wall Street protesters in a pre-arranged demonstration.

They chanted "Banks got bailed out, we got sold out" as the Occupy the Rose Parade demonstrators retraced about 1.5 miles of the parade route before veering off for a rally near City Hall.

As the protesters marched by, some Rose Parade spectators yelled "get a job" while others snapped photos and cheered.

Behind the protesters came three truckloads of Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies in riot gear but no arrests were immediately made.

The Associated Press and Janette Williams of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune contributed to this report.

jim.steinberg@inlandnewspapers.com 909-386-3855


Sweepstakes Trophy for most beautiful entry:

Dole, "Preserving Paradise"


Animation Trophy for best display of animation:

Farmers Insurance Group, "The Unimaginable"


Craftsman Trophy for outstanding showmanship and dramatic impact more than 55 feet in length:

Trader Joe's, "Hot Lava"


Crown City Innovation Trophy for Best use of imagination and innovation to advance the art of float design:

City of Los Angeles, "Dinosaurs in L.A.'s Backyard"


Directors' Trophy Honoring Jacob Maarse for outstanding artistic merit in design and floral presentation:

Bayer Advanced, "Garden of Imagination"


Extraordinaire Trophy for most spectacular entry including floats that cannot retract to 55 feet in length:

Natural Balance Pet Foods Inc., "Surf's Up"


Fantasy Trophy for best display of fantasy and imagination:

City of South Pasadena, "When Life Gives You Lemons"


Founders' Trophy for most beautiful entry built and decorated by volunteers from the sponsoring community or organization:

Downey Rose Float Association, "Enchanted Paradise"


Governor's Trophy for Best depiction of life in California:

City of Torrance, "Looking Back, Moving Forward"


Grand Marshal's Trophy for most creative concept and design:

Discover Card, "The Dream Believers"


Bob Hope Humor Trophy for most comical and amusing:

La Canada Flintridge Tournament of Roses Association, "If Pigs Could Fly"


International Trophy for most beautiful entry from outside the United States:

China Airlines, "Spirit of Prosperity and Harmony"


Isabella Coleman Trophy for best presentation of color and color harmony:

Odd Fellows & Rebekahs, "Shining Knights Still Exist"


Judges' Special Trophy for outstanding showmanship and dramatic impact:

Donate Life, "?One More Day"


Lathrop K. Leishman Trophy for most beautiful entry from a non-commercial sponsor:

Kaiser Permanente, "Every Body Walk"


Mayor's Trophy for Most outstanding city entry:

Burbank Tournament of Roses Association, "The Dream Machine"


National Trophy for Best depiction of life in the United States:

Western Asset Management, "Imagine in America"


Past Presidents' Trophy for most innovative use of both floral and non floral materials:

Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles, "100 Years of Girls Scouts - What Will You Do Today"


Princesses' Trophy most beautiful entry under 35 feet in length:

Rotary International, "Inching Towards the End of Polio"


Queen's Trophy for best use of roses:

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, "Our Champion"


Theme Trophy for best presentation of the Rose Parade theme:

US Bank, "Idea Factory"


Tournament Special Trophy for exceptional merit in multiple classifications:

RFD-TV, "Happy Trails"


Tournament Volunteers' Trophy for best floral design of parade theme under 35 feet in length:

Shriners Hospitals for Children, "Soaring for Kids"

Source: CBS

Source: http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_19661262?source=rss

palindrome palindrome asana als disease brittany norwood lindsay lohan condoleezza rice

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.