Rose Parade 2013 Order of Events -- Absolutely Nothing To Do With The Bakken -- There Is No Bakken Float In The Parade

Some interesting observations

Comment: My favorite car which I've talked about several times: the Honda Civic.
Observation: the pace car and sound car for the 2013 Rose Parade is a Honda.

Comment: ditto
Observation: the first float is sponsored by American Honda; no floats sponsored by GM or Ford

Comment: neat
Observation: Dr Jane Goodall is the Tournament of Roses Grand Marshall

Comment: really neat; I come from a family of nurses
Observation: the 21st entry is "The Nurses' Float"

Comment: really, really neat:
Observation: the 40th entry is "The Salvation Army Tournament of Roses Band"; their 93rd year in the Tournament of Roses parade

Comment: interesting
Observation: the 44th entry is "China Airlines"; no floats sponsored by an American airline

Comment: cool
Observation: the 51st entry is the "Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Lincoln High School 'Patriot' Marching Band"; see below

Comment: amazing, but not sure why it's "in" the parade
Observation: the 77th entry is the USAF B-2 bomber; it will be a flyover

Comment: the biggest reason to watch the parade
Observation: the 91st entry is the "All American Cowgirl Chicks"; see below

Highlights

The Lincoln High School Marching Band:

The Lincoln High School Marching Band is under the umbrella of the Lincoln High School Band program and is the product of five concert Bands that meet on a daily basis throughout the school year. The Program’s elite Symphonic and Concert Bands are audition only and comprised of students who study music privately outside of school. In addition, the program also has three active jazz bands that also meet daily, as well as a pep band and an active solo and ensemble program. Three orchestras and five choirs round out the robust Music Department at Lincoln.

The Lincoln High School Marching Band has a long tradition of outstanding accomplishments including: • FOUR Tournament of Roses Parade appearances: 1992, 1998, 2005, 2013 • THREE Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade appearances: 1994, 2000, 2008 • Sweepstakes trophies at numerous local and regional competitions throughout the Upper Midwest, including the sweepstakes trophies at the 2011 Sioux City, Iowa ‘Starfest’ field competition; the 2011 ‘Valleyfest Showdown’ in Des Moines, Iowa; and, 2011 University of South Dakota ‘Quad State’ field competition, the 2012 'Tri-State' band festival in Luverne, Minnesota, and the 2012 'Big Sioux Review' in Brandon, South Dakota. • The drum line was regionally undefeated from 2001 through 2006, and again from 2009 through 2011. • The Lincoln High School Band Program has had record numbers of students in the South Dakota All-State Band for the past 13 years. In 2010, a state-record thirty-seven students made into the South Dakota All-State Band from Lincoln, comprising nearly one-fourth of the group.

The All American Cowgirl Chicks:

Most of the Cowgirl Chick horses are rescue horses. They believe in giving a second chance to these horses that they call the Heart of a Champion. Since 1998, Trish lynn started gathering horses for a group of Cowgirls from Weatherford, Texas, known as the Cowgirl Chicks. After performing at the historical North Side Coliseum, the site of the first indoor rodeo, Fort Worth Stockyards Championship Rodeo, Hub Baker renamed this daring group of Cowgirls “The All American Cowgirl Chicks” because of their display of patriotism during their performance. They are now one of the most sought after rodeo entertainment teams in the industry today. The team they are today would not have been possible if not for the incredible group of horses they have gathered over the years. The Cowgirl Chicks were never financially able to go and purchase expensive, well trained horses. The Chicks had to make due with animals other people did not want or decided were not fit to ride and were considered dangerous. The Cowgirl Chicks had to make something out of a group of misfit horses or their chances of becoming a performance would never exist. With many hours of blood and sweat they put their heart and soul into training these horses. The group of horses you see some were abused, cast away, or just unwanted, but have become an Olympic level performance horse.