Monday, October 6, 1986AThe Battalion/Page 5
c;.:
A&M’s Cavalry in San Antonio
' i
Texas A&M’s Parson’s Mounted Cavalry participates in the Fiddlers’ Green ceremony, honoring cavalrymen who have died.
Photo by Tom Own bey
A&M mounted cavalry
one of two performers
at horsemen's meeting
By Tom Ownbey
Reporter
Almost all the mounted cavalries
are gone now, forced more than 30
years ago to give up their horses for
tanks and helicopters. But some
small units refuse to give up their
horses and are determined not to let
the cavalry heritage die.
Texas A&M’s Parson’s Mounted
Cavalry isone of them.
The unit, one of only two in the
nation that still mounts up and blows
the bugle, performed Saturday at
the U.S. Mounted Cavalry Associa-
ton’s annual meeting in San Anto
nio. Also performing was the other
unit, Fort Hood’s First Cavalry Divi
sion Horse Platoon.
Each of the modern cavalry units
performed a 30-minute show show
casing its specialties, giving about
750 ex-cavalrymen and spectators a
glimpse at the versatility of the cav
alry rider.
Parson’s Mounted Cavalry special
izes in intricate, close-formation rid
ing drills. One of the most striking is
a spiral that doubles back on itself
with only split-second timing keep
ing the horses from colliding.
The First Cavalry Division dem
onstrates the rider’s versatility on the
battlefield. Unit members perform
attacks on dummy targets — shoot
ing and slashing their way across the
parade grounds and dicing up a wa
termelon as a Finale.
Both units also participated in the
Fiddlers’ Green ceremony, a memo
rial service for cavalrymen who have
died during the past year. Tradition
says that “cav jocks” — short for cav
alry jockeys— go to Fiddlers’ Green,
somewhere between heaven and
purgatory, when they die.
The spit and polish the audience
sees at cavalry performances is the
result of hours of practice. Hours
before their performance Saturday,
cavalry members were going
through their paces in one final
practice session.
But more hours are spent at the
stables than in the saddle.
“We spend much more time work
ing out of the saddle than in it,” says
Richard Valigura. The riders’ first
responsibility is the care of their
horses. Valigura, the cavalry’s veteri
nary officer, looks after more than
30 horses at the stables. He is trained
to look after first aid but relies on
A&M’s large animal clinic to handle
major problems.
All the work at the stables is done
by cavalry members. When a fence
needs mending or a gate is in need
of repair, the jocks must find time to
do it themselves. And since all of
them are also in the Corps of Cadets,
time is a premium.
Money is also a premium: Al
though the cavalry is partially
funded by the University, riders
must cover many of their own ex
penses.
But the cavalry members don’t
mind the expense.
“The Cav’s a ‘go,’ ” says one cav
alry trooper, trying to describe the
group. “It’s all the things A&M tries
to stand for.”
Richard Valigura, a senior in the
cavalry, says, “A&M talks about the
traditions, but the cav lives the tradi
tions. We’re the closest thing to Old
Army there is.”
Photo by Tom Ownbey
Richard Valigura, senior veterinary officer for the cavalry, adjusts
his horse’s bridle before a practice ride Saturday morning.
Photo by Tom Ownbey
Cavalry members practice Saturday to work out the kinks in their routine before performance.
# AM/PM Clinics
Minor Emergencies
10% Student Discount with !D card
3820 Texas Ave.
Bryan, Texas
846-4756
401 S. Texas Ave.
Bryan, Texas
779-4756
8a.m.-11 p.m. 7 days a week
Walk-in Family Practice
ADULT
DANCE
1501 FM 2818 #105
(behind K-Mart/CS Business Center)
Oct. 6 to Nov. 21
$45 per class
BALLET (beginner) Tues 7:15 p.m.
TAP Thurs 7:00 p.m.
JAZZ(Beg./lnt.) Mon 6:30 p.m.
OCT. 6 to DEC. 20
DANCEROBICS $54
Tues 6:15 p.m.; Wed/Thurs. 6:00 p.m.
REGISTER NOW!!
Class Enrollment Limited
764-3187
FAMILY HAIRCARE SAVINGS!
COUPON SAVINGS
M| OFF ADULT CUT
Reg. $8 MasterCuts
family haircutters
i% OFF REDKEN i
Post Oak Mall
Products MasterCuts
r " V u UO LO family haircutters
^wdrHhiscougon^_
OFF KIDS CUT
Reg. $6, Now $5 MasterCuts
Under 10 family haircutters
MasterCuts
family haircutters
693-9998
#MSC Recreational Committee
Organizational Meeting
Wednesday, October 8, 7:30 p.m.
704A Rudder Tower
for information, call 845-1515
# MSC POLITICAL FORUM PRESENTS:
The Sanctuary Movement and Central American
Refugees
Tuesday, October 7,1986 ArfmiQQinn ic FQFF
Rudder Theatre 8:00 PM AomiSSIOn IS FHEt
This program is presented for educational purposes only and does not constitute
an endorsement of any kind.