There wasn’t an empty curb-side seat on San Benito Street
Thursday evening as the more than 80 organizations and businesses
filed downtown for the Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo Parade.
There wasn’t an empty curb-side seat on San Benito Street Thursday evening as the more than 80 organizations and businesses filed downtown for the Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo Parade.
“It really brings the community together, new and old,” lifetime Hollister resident Cynthia Ford said.
Bob and Lee Pauley just moved to Hollister four years ago. They read about the parade in the newspaper and decided to come Thursday.
“We love horses, and we’ve been to the rodeo many times, but this year we thought we’d check out the parade,” Bob Pauley said.
Second in line of the numerous parade floats was the rodeo royalty, including Miss San Benito Sarah Lomanto and her court riding on five horses. Eight-year-old Melissa Navarro sat in amazement as the horses came trotting down the street.
“I came because I wanted to see the horsies,” she said.
Along with the quarter horses, the Western States Draft and Driving Association brought Clydesdales and mini-horses along.
While some came to watch the ponies, others showed up for the bands. Rochelle and Gary Corlett arrived at the parade an hour early so they could get a front row seat to watch their daughter Nicole in the Rancho/Maze Marching Band.
“We’re out here to see out daughter and enjoy the evening,” Rochelle Corlett said. “The parade brings family and neighbors together.”
Elva Bonilla, 18, came to watch her sister perform in the San Benito High School Color Guard and said the parade is a great place to catch up with friends during the summer.
“I’ve seen a lot of friends out here tonight,” he said.
Boutique de Lingerie Owner Jeannine Porteur gathers her friends together every year for the parade. In front of her boutique, Porteur lays out a spread of cheese and crackers and socializes with family and friends.
“I used to ride in the parade when I was younger, so it’s fun to be on the other side of the parade,” she said.
Aside from the regular floats and themes, Granite Rock, which has been around since 1900, drove a 1928 Model 8 dump truck.
Directly after the parade, parade-goers headed over to Veterans’ Plaza for barbecued food and live music by the band “Eight-Second Ride.”
Hollister resident Diana Mora snacked on hot dogs with her 3-year-old son Roman. This is his first parade, and Mora said she remembers coming as a little girl, but that the crowd was much smaller then.
“I think this is a great place for new community members to learn about the community,” she said. “There’s a lot of people who move here from big cities looking for the small town atmosphere.”
The parade was just the beginning of a weekend full of roping, riding and fun. The Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo will run today through Sunday.
