A cavalcade is a procession or parade on horseback, or a mass trail ride by a company of riders. The focus of a cavalcade is participation rather than display. Often, the participants do not wear costumes or ride in formation. Often, a cavalcade re-enacts an important historical event and follows a long-distance trail. A cavalcade may also be a pilgrimage.
Many cavalcades involve ceremonial entries into and departures from towns and villages along the way. A small version of such a ceremonial entry is the "grand entry" that is traditional in many rodeos. Long-distance cavalcades may acquire more riders who join from populated places along its route.
The term cavalcade comes from the classical Latin word caballus, used to describe a strong work horse. This developed into the word caballicare, "to ride horseback," which in Italian became cavalcare. In Spanish the term for cavalcade is cabalgata.
United States
In New Mexico, Philmont Scout Ranch includes a week-long cavalcade among its programs. The annual pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayó includes a cavalcade of classic cars on Good Friday. Traditionally, the pilgrimage had been made on foot. Today, in addition to traveling by car and foot, a few pilgrims ride horses. Columbus, New Mexico is the end point of the annual Cabalgata Binacional Villista (see #Chihuahua).
In Texas, numerous long-distance cavalcades occur annually in conjunction with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo; the oldest of these was established in 1952, creating a new tradition based on historic activities. A 110-mile cavalcade is held annually on the Chisholm Trail (paved roads) from Cuero to San Antonio in conjunction with the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Mexico
Sonora
In Sonora, cavalcades are regular annual events in March and October.
On 26 through 28 October 2007 the Governor of Sonora, Eduardo Bours, and the regional Cattlemen's Association led a cavalcade of approximately 7,000 cowboys who were primarily from the local area, the state of Sonora, some other Mexican states and several western U.S. states. The cavalcade was called Remontando El Río Sahuaripa 2007, and the route covered 61 kilometers. Beginning in Sahuaripa, the group traveled south following the river upstream, through the municipality of Arivechi, passing the banks of the Cajon de Onapa Reservoir Lake, and ending in the village of Guisamopa. The cowboys and horses were fed and supplied by an elaborate "Chuck Wagon" system. That cavalcade is the focal end stage of the Cabalgando por Sonora from the Río Sonora to the Sierra Alta.
Chihuahua
In Chihuahua, two separate cavalcades commemorate the history of the Mexican Revolution and Francisco (Pancho) Villa.
Cabalgata Binacional Villista
Each year in February and March, the Cabalgata Binacional Villista commemorates the 9 March 1916 invasion of the United States by Pancho Villa's men. The first cavalcade took place in 1999 and followed the same route that Pancho Villa used, coming from the Hacienda de San Jerónimo, Bachíniva. A handful of riders were expected but more than 125 showed up. The Cabalgata passed Namiquipa and Cruces, as during the original 1916 event. In 2008 the 9th cavalcade began on 27 February in Ciudad Madera with more than 200 riders. During the next 10 days, they traversed north through towns and villages in northern Mexico (Ignacio Zaragoza, Buenaventura, Galeana, Nuevo Casas Grandes, Casas Grandes, Colonia Graciano Sánchez, Janos, Ascensión, Seis de Enero) to Puerto Palomas de Villa, arriving on 7 March with a complement of 400 riders and twice as many crew.
On 8 March 100 riders continued across the United States–Mexico border 3 miles to the Pancho Villa State Park and Museum in the village of Columbus, New Mexico. From the border the Villistas were accompanied by 200 American riders. The 8th cavalcade in 2007 was larger, with 500 riders arriving in Puerto Palomas de Villa. The 7th cavalcade in 2006 was smaller but the arrival of the 100 Villistas at Pancho Villa State Park coincided with ceremonies attended by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, Chihuahua Governor José Reyes Baeza Terrazas, and many other dignitaries. The cavalcade in 2010 was the opening event of the centennial celebrations Tres Siglos, Tres Fiestas (Three Centuries, Three Fiestas).
The riders are received each night with a dinner, rodeo, music and dancing, and their horses are fed and watered. The growing popularity of the cavalcade presented increasing financial challenges for the communities along the route. In 2008, the community presidents formed an association, Presidentes Municipales de la Región Noroeste, to coordinate and manage the event.