The Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard from Fort Riley will be appearing in the 2017 Wild West Festival Parade. A mounted cavalry demonstration will follow at the FHSU rodeo arena.

Established in 1992, the Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard provides a link to Fort Riley’s historic past. Troopers and horses of this unit are outfitted in the uniforms, accoutrements and equipment of the Civil War period. Soldiers are detailed from the ranks of units assigned to Fort Riley and receive instruction from manuals used by Civil War cavalrymen.

The Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard performs mounted drill and weapons demonstrations and parades for community events and rodeos, as well as military ceremonies on Fort Riley.

The mounted demonstration is an exhibition of skill and precision required of a cavalry horse soldier. It includes various drills using the 1861 Cavalry Light Saber, .45-caliber revolver and the 1873 Remington .45-caliber lever action repeater rifle.

Both the parade and cavalry demonstration are free and open to the public.

The Wild West Festival Parade takes place on Main Street in Downtown Hays at 10 a.m. this Saturday July 1st. The cavalry demonstration will take place at the FHSU rodeo arena following the parade. The rodeo arena is located on Golf Course Road, a half mile west of U.S. Highway 183 Alt.