Culver Academies’ Mounted Units to appear in 19th Presidential Inaugural Parade Indiana Connection Covers 112 Years

Friday, January 3, 2025 at 2:00 AM

Culver Academies’ Black Horse Troop and Equestriennes will participate in the Presidential Inaugural Parade on Jan. 20 for President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance.

This marks the 112th anniversary of the first trip by the Black Horse Troop to Washington, D.C. The mounted unit served as the official escort for Vice President Thomas Marshall during Woodrow Wilson’s inaugural parade in 1913 and again in 1917.

"We are honored to be invited to take part in the Presidential Inaugural, the 19th for our school," Head of Schools Dr. Doug Bird said. "It is a privilege to continue this prestigious tradition, and it reflects Culver's time-honored values of leadership and service.”

Forty-two boys from Culver Military Academy’s Black Horse Troop and 18 Equestriennes of Culver Girls Academy, plus members of the Horsemanship staff, have been practicing for this moment since October. They represent 17 states and seven countries.

The parade will be televised live on most major networks and streamed live on various platforms starting at 3:00 P.M. on Jan. 20th.

The 2025 inaugural marks the 19th appearance of the Troop and the 10th for the Equestriennes. After the 1917 inaugural parade, Culver went 40 years before returning to Washington in 1957 for President Eisenhower’s second term. The Indiana boarding school has been represented by mounted units at every parade since, except in 1993 when an invitation for President Clinton’s first inaugural parade was not extended.