CMA Inaugural parade History  

Part of the Black Horse Troop first appeared in the Inaugural parade for President McKinnely he was first elected in 1896. The photo is the 80 horse honor guard of the 1st Cleveland Calvary Troop A as in appeared in the Inaugural parade.

In 1913 the Black Horse Troop appeared in the first Inaugural parade for President Woodrow Wilson

ACADEMY STIRS UP BIG FUSS

Culver Military Academy has stirred up a big fuss in Washington by its request that the cadets be permitted to march near the front of the inaugural parade as an escort to Vice President Marshall. It now looks as if the school would certainly be permitted in procession.

Capt. W. A. Fleet, of the Academy, is now in Washington attempting to gain a place for his cadets. He first visited Gov. Wilson at Princeton, and learned that the coming executive had no objection to the plan to honor his colleague, if it could be arranged satisfactorily. Armed with this word, he hastened to the capital, only to be frowned upon by Gen. Wood, who has charge of the military part of the parade. The general impression seemed to be that the procession was originally arranged in honor of President, and that his running mate should not share in the glory. However, at meeting which Senator Shively and Capt. Fleet had with Gen. Wood, it was finally decided that the Vice President-elect shall have an escort and that it shall be the Culver Horse Troop. Sixty of the troopers will form the escort and will bring their mounts them from Indiana. - - Rochester Sentinel, Saturday, February 1, 1913

WILSON NEIGHBORS' FAREWELL.; They Give a Loving Cup to Him at an "Old Home" Sort of Farewell.
New York Times
March 2, 1913, Sunday
Page 1, 1467 words

PRINCETON, N.J., March 1. -- Fifteen hundred residents of Princeton, including college students, invaded Gov. Wilson's home to-night and gave him a rousing send-off. The whole affair was characterized by a note of personal affection unusual in such cases. There was nothing formal about it, and the tone of good-will and sincere personal regard were manifest both in the actions of the crowd, ...

President-Elect Wilson is seen at the right. Black Horse Troop of CUlver Military Academy, Vice President Marshall's escort of honor

The Vedette
Vol. XVII Number 14 pg. 1
Saturday February 1, 1913
IN PARADE AT INAUGURATION

Woodrow Wilson will now be properly installed in the presidential chair and his grand march fown Pennsylvania avenue on March 4 will have the proper eclat for the Culver battalion will be on hand to lend the prestige of its presence.

The Black Horse Troop will once more be prominent feature of the big parade though none of the old blacks which won the plaudits in 1897 when cleveland's Troop A escorted President McKinley, will be ther to recognize the old scense. The battalion of infantry, too, will be in the lead of the second division of the grand march.

The announcement that the battalion would go to Washington put new life into the military work at once. Back went the shoulders, the salutes became snappy, the manual and foot moevements accurate.

the troop is resplendent in new trousers with yellow stripes that herald their approach afor off, and they are alreayd talking of more horses and more members, and speculating upon the imposing appreance that one hundred horse would make on March 4.

Plans are not fully matured, but it is probable that the battalion will leave Culver on the Saturday before inauguration and will return the next Friday, thus having four days in the clear for Washington.

They returned in 1957 for President Dwight D. Eisenhower's 2^nd Inaugural Parade and have returned regularly since.

1961 The Black Horse troop was almost at the end of the parade because the parade slots were full and Culver was able to take one of Montana's spare slots. This was because that in the past years the placement in the Inaugural Parade was based on the date that the parade unit's home state had entered into the Union.

The final railroad trip for the Black Horse Troop came in January of 1965, from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at LaPaz.

Jan 1965 - President Lyndon B. Johnson & Vice President Hubert Humphery; seated center int reviewing stand

In 1969 Robert Hartman and David Gaskill sought to get Culver moved up in the parade they were asked if the Black Horse Troop could carry 100 flags. The Black Horse troop ended up to carrying 60 flags and they were placed near the head of the parade. It is related that the flags had their own airplane seat for which a ticket was purchased.

In 1972 "The Clock' was called out of retirement to lead the Black Horse Troop in the Inaugural Parade for President Richard Nixon's 2nd inauguration. 85 horses in all and each rider carried an American flag.

1973 - January - the Inaugural Parade

Indiana Gelding to Lead Cavalry at the Inaugural
Special to The New York Times, January 19, 1973, Friday
Page 16, 825 words

The Clock, a sleek, black gelding, will travel 700 miles to prance down some 20 blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue on Saturday. It will be his fifth consecutive inaugural parade, and he was brought out of retirement to do it...

1981 - Jan 20 - Culver Calvary Leading its 7th Inaugural Parade

1985 Tho they went to the Inaugural Parade the Culvver Mounted Black Horse Troop never rode in the 1985 Inauigural Parade. There was no Inaugrual Parade because of severe and bitter cold weather, President R0nald Regan held the ceremonies indoors.

In 1993 the Black Horse Troop was not asked to be in President Bill Clinton's Inaugrual parade. They were overlooked it is said by many for the Marching Briefcases and gay and lesbain enteries.

1997 The Inauguration

1997 Presidential Inaugural Parade
The New York Times
Published: January 19, 1997

The 53d Inaugural Parade steps off at 2 P.M. tomorrow, leading along Pennsylvania Avenue from the Capitol to the White House...Inaugural Parade...Culver Black Horse Troop...

On January 18, 2001, Inaugural events commenced for George W. Bush as the 43rd President of the United States. The theme of the 54th Inauguration is 'Celebrating America's Spirit Together.'

The Culver Academies Black Horse Troop & Equestriennes was 19th in order by a listing of Inaugural parade.

Jack Vaughn and Pioneer Vaughn Petroleum CEO Robert Vaughn are active Culver Military Academy alumni. They marched with Culver’s “Black Horse Troop” in George W. Bush’s 2001 inaugural parade.

The 55th inaugural parade was January 22, 2005 - President Bush's 2005 Presidential Inaugural theme was "Celebrating Freedom, Honoring Service". The Culver Academies Black Horse Troop & Equestriennes was 23rd in order by a listing of Inaugural parade. The 55th inaugural parade:


As in years past rather than a single individual an entire committee was in charge of getting information to Washington, D.C. in order to qualify the school for an inaugural invitation.

Culver was one of 1,382 organizations that applied to participate. In past years, about 400 groups applied to march. A spokeswoman for the inaugural committee said about 80 entries will be selected for the 2009 parade.

The 8^th December 2008 Invitation read:

Washington - Today, In keeping with its commitment to hold inaugrual events that celebate our common values and reflect the diversity and history of our great nation, President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden's Inaugrual Committe offically extended an offer to the Culver Academies to march in the 56th inaugraul Parade...

"I am honored to invite these talented groups and individuals to paritcipate in the Inaugural Parade,"...are proud to have them join us in the parade."....

2008 on 19^th December it was announced that the Culver Academies' Black Horse Troop and Equestriennes had received and accepted an invitation to participate in the Obama-Biden Presidential Inaugural Parade in Washington D.C. The Culver Academies press release:

Culver, In. December 2009 - Culver Academies' Black Horse Troop and Equestriennes have received and accepted an invitation to participate in the Obama-Biden Presidential Inaugrural Parade in Washington D.C. on Jamuary 20, 2009. This will marked the 15^th time hat the Culver Acadmies has participated in the Inaugrual Parade...

The Equestriennes made their Presidential Inaugural Parade debut in 1989 and have joined the Black Horse Troop in every inaugural parade since thenaking this their 6^th

Ed Little has been through 5 inaugural pardes with this on and has ridden in three of them. of this pargde he said: “ This is my fifth (inaugural) parade,” Little says. “I’ve ridden in three. I was going to sit this one out, but I’ll be there and may walk the parade.”

In 2009 the Black Horse Troop again had the honor of appearing in their 15th Inaugural Parade on ' 20th January for President Barack H. Obama, the 56th parade.

100 horses were sent and the journey began on the 18^th of January from the academy and ended at 'The Show Place Arena & Prince George's Esqustrain Center' at Upper Marlboro, Maryland. They rode in heated trailers for a 16 hours 16 horses to a trailer. They were outfitted with special borium shoes for giving protection to the hooves and to maintain proper balance on the prade route. The riders were 72 Black Horse Troopers each carrying the American and 23 equestriennes. It took four months of preperation to make the event a reality.

The slated to start at 2:30 p.m. was pushed back several hours , thus the Black Horse Troop did not make their appearance till about 7 p.m.

Indystar.com Blog
January 20, 2009
Culver Academy participates in 15th inaugural parade
Posted by Maureen Groppe, Star Washington Bureau

The inaugural parade has started but it will be a while before Indiana's entry -- Culver Academies' Black Horse Troop and Equestriennes -- passes by the new president's reviewing stand...

Culver is 13th from the end of the lineup that includes more than 100 entries,...

Each Culver Black Horse Trooper is mounted on a black horse, wears a blue coat, black riding helmet and boots and carries an American flag. The Equestriennes, an honor organization, wear black hunt coats, black riding helmets, white britches, black boots and are mounted on a horse with a braided mane.

The Culver Academies Black Horse Troop wass the only Indiana group in the 2009 parade.

Besides the honors of the Inaugural parades They have had the honor of escorting Queen Elizabeth II of England, the King and Queen of Denmark and the late Emperor Hirohito of Japan during several royal visits to the United States.

Culver Citizen
Plymouth Pilot
South Bend Tribune

The 2013 Inaugural Parade marks the 100th anniversary of the Black Horse Troop's first ride down Pennsylvania Avenue and 57th parade.

The Culver Academies Black Horse Troop and Equestriennes participated in the 57th Inaugural on January 21, which marked the 16th parade appearance for the Black Horse Troop and the 7th for the Equestriennes.

2017 - Dec 21 - was invited to the Inaugural parade by former Indiana Govenor Mike Pens, who will become Vice President to President-elect Donald Trump.

500 - pounds of grain transported from Culver to Maryland
300 - bales of hay
160 - buckets (two per stall)
104 - years since Black Horse troops first appearance
80 - horses making the trip
57 - Black Horse Troops cadets
23 - Equestriennes from CGA
17 - Inaugral Parades for the Troop
12 - hours to complete the trip
5 - 18 wheelers carrying horses
2 - 18 wheelers crarrying gear, tack
1 - John Deere Gator for stall care

This is the 17th appearance for the all-male Black Horse Troop and the 8th appearance for the ladies.

They were #30 in the parade and in the 2nd Division #10.