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St. Paddy's parade 45 years and going strong

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Contributed by: Julie Connor on 3/12/2007

It all started 45 years ago with a band of passionate Irishmen (and a couple of Italians) and one lone truck as the first float. In 1962, on a cold windy day the float arrived at the parade site, minus most of the green carnations that had been so carefully placed the evening before, only to find that the wind had blown carnations as far as Capitol Hill. The Junior Police Band, the Drum and Bugle Corps, and several local school children made up the parade with no more than 500 participants. A few local dignitaries stood on the sidelines with very few spectators.

The following years brought more interest, more participants, and more spectators. The parade bears the reputation as one of the best parades in the U.S. and largest West of the Mississippi. This year approximately 200 individual units, including pipe and marching bands, large floats, clowns, Irish dance groups, equestrian units, animal groups, local groups and fraternal organizations (a total of more than 3,000 marchers), will participate. Some groups having participated in the parade for more than 20 years. The Greeley Independence Stampede will march with 20 Longhorn cattle. The Wolf 92.5 FM, a parade sponsor, will have a float with Colorado's country music entertainer Walker Williams. La Buena Onda 1150 am, our Hispanic radio partner will have a decorated float/vehicle and is doing an on-site live transmission. The Parrot Heads' floats promise to take the "Irish Roots and Cowboy Boots" theme seriously.

St. Paddy's Day parade facts
When: 10 a.m. March 17
Where: 27th and Blake streets in Lower Downtown Denver
Parade Route: Starts at 27th and Blake Streets, Blake to 17th, 17th to Wynkoop, Wynkoop to 19th, 19th to Wewatta around to Coors Field Parking
Reviewing Stand: 10:15 a.m.
(In front of Coors Field on Blake St.)
TV: CW2, Channel 2 will be broadcasting the parade from 2-4 p.m. on March 17.
Queen Colleen:Sara Myers, 21, Student at University of Northern Colorado
Theme: "Irish Roots and Cowboy Boots"
Presented by: Denver St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee, a non-profit organization. Larry Lawler, President
For more information: Denver St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee 303-321-7888 or http://www.denverstpatricksdayparade.com

This year's theme, "Irish Roots and Cowboy Boots" pays tribute to the myriad of pioneers, miners and entrepreneurs of Irish descent who contributed to the development of our western heritage.

The Denver St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee is honored to have as Grand Marshals five of the cowboys; Rob Wright, Robby Cabezuela, Anders Heintz, Jared Ficklin, and Shaun Terhune, who took part in the television series Texas Ranch House as seen on PBS, which depicted life on the frontier in 1867. They come to us at their own expense, complete with horses and tack, from all over the United States.

All of the cowboys feel the cattle drive was an unique bonding experience and continue to cultivate these friendships today.

The Denver St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee is a private, non-profit
group of volunteers, in conjunction with the generous support of Bellco
Credit Union and other sponsors, is dedicated to putting on a "fun,
family-oriented" parade. The Parade steps off at 10 a.m. at 27th and
Blake, travels down Blake to 17th, turns right to Wynkoop near Union
Station, then right and returns to the parking lot behind Coors Field;
and typically lasts till 1:30 p.m. or 2:00 p.m.
For more information, visit www.denverstpatricksdayparade.org.

Know your marshals
*Rob Wright is an elementary school physical education teacher and high school track and cross-country coach in Evergreen, Colorado. His ancestors immigrated from Ireland and Scotland to settle in Missouri and Kansas and eventually in the New Mexico area. He grew up on a ranch outside of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Rob credits his love of horses and horsemanship in helping him make the cattle drive a success. He killed 13 rattlesnakes on the ranch to feed himself and his fellow cowboys, and was very focused on being a contributing team member.
*Robby Cabezuela works as a cattle inspector for the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. Born and raised in Presidio, Texas, he has a love for horses and he actively works a cattle ranch he co-owns with his father and brother. Robby's family roots grow deep in Mexico and interweave with Apache Indian. His grandfather and uncle escaped Mexican Federales and rode with Pancho Villa through a colorful part of American history. He began the series as a cowboy; but through a twist of fate became the Ranch Foreman. Robby's focus and natural abilities made being Foreman of the cattle drive look easy. However, he is quick to point out he played only a part in the team effort that made the drive a success.
* Anders Heintz was born and raised in Sweden and at 16 came to the U.S. as a part of a student exchange program. While living with the exchange program coordinator, he was taught how to ride and care for horses. He returned to Sweden and after 11 months returned "home" to Missouri to graduate high school and begin college. Anders welcomed
the opportunity to experience 1867 Texas. He found one of the most difficult aspects was the sense of isolation. Currently he has settled on a five-acre homestead that he shares with his fiancé and horses.
* Jared Ficklin was raised in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and moved to Austin, Texas, in 2000. He is a Senior Interactive Design Technologist and Co-Director of the Austin Public Skate Park Action Committee. Jared's family tree branches from George Walton an original signer of the Declaration of Independence, to Texan Ben Ficklin one of the co-founders of the Pony Express. While he had no experience with horses or riding, he spent the summer riding over 700 miles on a string of 28 horses - averaging 8-10 hours per day. Jared found "the experience was all I had hoped for."
* Shaun Terhune is the youngest of the cowboys and grew up on a small farm in Vermont. Shaun's ancestry is French Huguenot on his father's side and Irish on his mother's. His family immigrated to the U.S. and his maternal great-grandfather became the U.S. Ambassador to Bolivia. Shaun had to leave behind his Hollywood vision of what a cowboy was (and is). The reality of living the life of a cowboy was a daunting task and grueling and dangerous work.

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Showing 1 of 1 comments

Submitted By: Karen Groves

posted on 3/13/2007 @ 9:07:53 AM

Rated Story

Very cool, way to go Rob

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