01/18/05 Idaho horse drill team in inaugural

American Rancher January 18, 2005 Mel Griffeth organized a black horse drill team in Rexburg, Idaho 23 years ago with six girls and one Roman rider. A Roman rider rides two horses at once, standing up, one foot on the back of each. With 32 horses today, the Americanas drill team will do their thing this Thursdsay, January 20th, during the Presidential inaugural parade in Washington DC. These horses and riders weave in and out among each other while performing various patterns before big crowds. GRIFFETH "Good gentle quarter horses. They seem to have the mentality. There's a tremendous amount of pressure when you drop into a parade route. There's a million people on the sidelines like there was in Pasadena. Those horses have to be gentle and quiet and be able to stand that pressure." 15 The horses had to be trucked back to Washington DC. Griffeth and his traveling party of 40 which includes four of his daughters and nine grandchildren will only have one day after their arrival in Washington to work with their horses and prepare for the parade. GRIFFETH "We have had quite a bit of donations to kind of help us get the horses back there. The individuals that are riding and everybody that's going are willing to cover their own expenses." 11 The Americanas turned down an invitation to perform in Washington several years ago but Griffeth promised that he`d bring his drill team back to DC if George Bush was re-elected to a second term. I'm Bob Hoff.