Knighs, horses from Buena Park to make Rose Parade

BUENA PARK ? Call them the warriors of the roses.

On Jan. 2, like for the 25 straight years before, a contingent of knights, ambassadors and royalty from Buena Park's Medieval Times will make an appearance in the Rose Parade.

Knights from the Medieval Times in Buena, Jesse Camarena from Downey, John Natividad from Placentia, Jim Collins form Fullerton and William Hainsworth from Anaheim will ride in the Rose Parade.

MICHAEL GOULDING, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

ADVERTISEMENT

"It's a unique experience," said knight Jesse Camarena. The upcoming parade will be the Downey resident's fourth appearance. "How many people get to say that they've ridden in the Rose Parade?"

It seems like a Hollywood scripted scene, dashing knights and radiant princesses on horseback, surrounded by roses and waving to cheering crowds.

But it takes a lot of equipment and effort to pull it off.

Medieval Times marketing manager David Manuel said the company uses two horse trailers to haul the 12 horses to Pasadena from Buena Park. Then there are three motor homes for those riding the horses and others helping out.

It's a busy time for the crew of Medieval Times, a Buena Park theater featuring jousting knights, falconry and a four-course meal. Typically, there are three performances on New Year's Eve, ending well after midnight.

Once they make it to Pasadena, the knights may only get an hour or two of sleep before they have to get into costume and bring around the horses. Depending on where they are placed in the parade queue, that could be as early as 5 or 6 a.m. Often, those same knights and royalty return to Buena Park just in time to perform in a couple of New Year's Day shows.

"That's our 'Hell Week,'" said William Hainsworth of Anaheim, the show cast manager.

Hainsworth was joking.

Maybe.

"It's six miles (of riding) and you're on the horse for six to seven hours," Hainsworth said.

But the knights and royalty who make the grueling ride in the Rose Parade each year aren't assigned to do it. They sign up for the privilege.

"They want to ride it," Manuel said. "It's the longest parade in the world. The whole world is watching, and they get recognized."

John Natividad's family plans to head to Pasadena to watch him ride by. The 2012 parade will be the Placentia resident's first time there.

"It's a lot of work. We're up early, but I'm excited," Natividad said. "I think it's going to be a really good experience."

Camarena is looking forward to returning for another year.

"It's fun riding with people (in the crowd) smiling and waving," he said. "It's a blast."

From time to time, the parade will inevitably slow to a near stop. When that happens, the knights show off with spontaneous sword fights.

"It gives the crowd on the parade route something to look at," Hainsworth said.

Many of the Medieval Times horses headed to the parade are Andalusian horses, named after a region in southern Spain. Hainsworth said Spanish knights in the Middle Ages favored the muscled steeds.

Before the parade, Medieval Times' ferrier will take off the steeds' metal horseshoes and just hammer in a few specialized nails instead. The nails help the horses grip Colorado Boulevard's pavement, which is too slick for regular horseshoes.

Despite Medieval Times' perennial appearance in the Rose Parade, Manuel said it's not a given.

"We have to apply every year, just like everyone else," he said. "They don't just give it to us. It's an honor to be in the parade."

Contact the writer: 714-704-3796 or mmello @ocregister.com

Source: http://www.ocregister.com/news/parade-332735-knights-horses.html

percy harvin percy harvin best cyber monday deals best cyber monday deals cyber monday grover norquist grover norquist