Guest Column: My Parade Reflection

I am 21 years old, and have been riding in parades in St. Augustine since I was born.

I wasn’t even one when I rode with my mom on her horse “Rebel” in the St. Augustine Easter Parade.

My favorite part about being in a parade was seeing our reflection in the windows of the buildings as we were carried down the street. I was always excited to see how amazing and beautiful we looked riding the horse or sitting in the carriage.

Last Easter, I rode “Tex”; a horse that belongs to a good friend. I felt great on him, and had a beautiful reflection. “Rebel” had grown too old and was unable to carry me through the parade. Sadly, he passed away last September at the age of 33.

There was just something missing and I couldn’t grasp what it was, until today when I rode my very own horse, “Renegade” in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Was I nervous? Oh yes.

Was he nervous? Very much so.

I had this rush of confidence in both him and myself, as I mounted him in the gravel parking lot.

I was uncertain how this parade was going to turn out, for he was brand new. Mama and Daddy were by my side throughout the entire parade to make sure that he and I were both safe.

As we stepped off into line and the parade began, he changed. He became so regal and strong.

He posed for pictures by the parade guests, he remained still when the parade came to a halt, and he didn’t even fertilize the pavement. I had the biggest smile on my face through the entire parade because of how good it felt to be riding my own horse. People were clapping and cheering and taking photos of me and “Renegade”, exclaiming how wonderful we looked!

As we turned the corner off the bayfront to Orange Street, the crowd multiplied by many. I was quite nervous as to how “Renegade” would react to the crowd.

I caught a glimpse of Grams on my left side, which gave me a moment of relief that I may be able to calm “Renegade” down. I was so excited that she got to see me in my first parade with my very own horse.

Surprised, on my right, I saw my Aunt Suzie and her daughter and grandchildren. The crowd was clapping and cheering for me, for “Renegade”, then I heard the announcer say, “… and Catherine Tori Baker on “Renegade”.” and I knew that we had a place in this parade.

My adrenaline was pumping as we turned down Cordova Street because of what I just experienced; passing through a huge crowd of viewers. Renegade made it completely flawless.

As we were approaching the end of the parade, we passed by the Bank of America building on Cordova Street. It was then that I felt that missing piece I had experienced on “Tex” last Easter — my parade reflection.

My reflection consisted of me on my very own horse in the Parade with Flagler College in the background. I saw how amazingly beautiful “Renegade” and I looked in that reflection and knew that my parade reflection was complete.

Everything else seemed so minute in comparison to me and my horse. I was so proud of him. He was the missing piece I needed to complete my parade reflection.

Instantly, I began to cry happy tears that my horse took me through that parade — knowing that “Rebel” was there, mama and daddy were there and Pop was there with me and “Renegade”.

Catherine T. Baker
St. Augustine, FL

Tori Baker is a member of the entourage of the St. Augustine Royal Family who graduated from Pedro Menendez High School in 2007 and will have completed 4 years of college when she graduates from Flagler next month.