Parnell's Irish Cobs, of Fort Collins, Colorado, participated in the 46th Annual Denver St. Patrick's Day Parade on Saturday, March 15, 2008, in Denver Colorado. This historic parade is the largest St. Patrick's Day parade west of the Mississippi River, boasting over 10,000 participants, and over 200,000 spectators. The parade was televised by the Denver network TV stations, including WGN2, and was chronicled in the Denver Post.

Along with a large group of family and friends, Parnell's presented three horses in the parade. Parnell's Lisdoonvarna (Lizzy), a three year old filly was shown in hand. Parnell's Laoise, a four year old mare was shown under English saddle, ridden by Jodi Callison

Cox. Parnell's Nuala, a ten year old mare, was given the very special job of pulling Parnell's restored Gypsy “Vardo” wagon.

Parnell's Irish Cobs is owned by Charlie Cox, President of the American Gypsy Horse Breed Association (AGHBA), Jan Cox, their son Adam and his wife Jodi. This parade was a milestone for Parnell's. It was their first major parade pulling their antique Gypsy Vardo. Charlie and Jan found the wagon in a little barn in Ireland, and imported it into the U.S. 3 years ago.

The wagon dates to the 1930's, and is one of only 5 or 6 known to be in the U.S., of which 3 are in museums.

The tradition of the Gypsy people who prefer to be called “Travelers” is for the wagon to be burned upon the death of the owner. The Traveler who owned this wagon in Ireland had not lived in the wagon, which upon his death, enabled his family to pass the wagon on.

Charlie and Jan feel very fortunate to own this piece of living history that is so much a part of the legacy of the Gypsy horse breed.

The pride of the Travelers were their glorious horses, which are known as Irish Cobs, Gypsy horses, Tinker horses, Romany horses, or as in the USA, the Gypsy Vanner.

The Travelers bred this horse specifically to pull their wagons and carts. They had to have calm, docile temperaments, and be self-sufficient enough to fend for themselves at the end of the day when turned out to graze. The Gypsy horse is known for its flashy colors, most of which

are piebald (black and white), extravagant mane, tail and feather. They have a short back, refined head, and sweet disposition.

The second source of pride for the Travelers were their wagons, known as a “Vardo”,

or living wagon. The Gypsies would hitch the horse to the wagon each day, and travel the roads of the British Isles, stopping to rest each evening along the side of the road in Gypsy encampments. Everything the family owned went on or in the wagon and out onto the road each day. The wagons could be very plain and utilitarian, or very decorative, as seen in the wagon owned by Parnell's. If the Traveler family had money, it was seen in the number and quality of their horses, as well as the extravagance of the gold-leaf decoration and outfitting of their Vardo.

The wagons were painted by skilled craftsmen, sometimes taking up to a full calendar year to complete painting and gilding of the entire wagon. Tradition was that when the painter finished his work on a Gypsy Vardo, he would sign the wagon. Parnell's Vardo is signed across the back with the signature, “Tom Stephenson, Painter, County Durham”. Tom was one of the last of the renowned English Gypsy wagon painters, and Parnell's wagon is probably one of the last wagons painted by Tom.

Submitted by: Jan Cox