It's almost time for the 31st annual Days of '47 celebration.
Arrangements for the All Horse Parade - the traditional kickoff to the Days of '47 Rodeo - are already under way, said Sharon Moss, secretary and coordinator for the parade. Last year's parade featured more than 100 entries in 10 different classes, and organizers are hoping for even more entrants this year.The parade, which starts 6 p.m. Friday, July 17, starts in downtown Salt Lake City. Parade organizers are waiting for police approval before releasing details of a new parade route, which will take in the Delta Center.
"You don't have to have the most beautiful animal to take part in our parade," Moss said. "It is mostly for fun. Some kids come in with their buddies, dress up as clowns and have a wonderful time.
"Other entrants take the parade a little more seriously. We welcome everybody."
Entry applications need to be mailed in before July 1, Moss said. There is no entrance fee, and participants compete for $1,500 in trophies and cash prizes.
Entrants are evaluated by three anonymous judges stationed along the parade route. They grade entrants using criteria as diverse as the horse's stature, its appearance, if the horse is well-mannered or skittish and how well the horse's regalia is maintained.