Pasadena's restored police mounted unit will ride in the 2027 Rose Parade on Jan. 1, its first time on Colorado Boulevard since the program was disbanded in 2005.

The Pasadena Tournament of Roses named the Pasadena Police Department's Mounted Enforcement Unit among 17 equestrian groups selected for the 138th parade, first reported by the Pasadena Star-News. The parade, themed "Welcome," will travel the 5½-mile route starting at 8 a.m.

The selection caps a quick turnaround. The City Council voted unanimously in October 2024 to restore mounted policing after a nearly two-decade absence. Officers last patrolled Pasadena on horseback in 2005, according to PasadenaNow.

Under the program, five officers lease their personal horses to the city for $1 a year and receive $22.50 per hour for daily off-duty horse care. The unit costs up to $130,000 annually, absorbed within the department's existing budget.

All five officers and their horses completed the Western States Mounted Officers Association's Foundation and Skills Course at the Ben Clark Training Center in Riverside in April 2026. The three-day program covered precision riding, obstacle navigation, search and rescue operations and mounted patrol tactics, according to the department. Officer Marko Mendoza earned the course's "Top Hand" Award for exceptional horsemanship.

The other four members of the unit are Sgt. Panfilo De La Cruz, Cpl. Michael Arellanes and Officers Emanuel Nañez and Edgar Moreno.

The mounted unit already appeared at the department's 30th Annual National Night Out at Jefferson Park in August 2026. Its duties include crowd control, search and rescue in areas with limited vehicle access, disaster response and a visible presence at special events.

Two other local equestrian groups also made the 2027 lineup: the Valley Hunt Club of Pasadena and Altadena's Los Hermanos Bañuelos Charro Team. The Budweiser Clydesdales and the U.S. Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard round out the 17-unit field.

Residents can preview all the equestrian units at Equestfest on Tuesday, Dec. 29, at the Los Angeles Equestrian Center, 480 W. Riverside Drive, Burbank. Gates open at 10 a.m., with the equestrian show starting at noon. The event runs until 3 p.m. General admission is $26.50; children 5 and under get in free. VIP reserved seating costs $51.50, and every VIP seat requires a ticket regardless of age. Tickets are sold online only at tickets.sharpseating.com/p/tickets11/events/equestfest. Parking is $20 per car, and the Tournament requires clear bags only.