Gerard Paagman and his family (in their trademarked orange attire) from Invermere, British Columbia, with their House of the Friesians horses, joined up with friends in Murrieta, California. On November 1, 2014, this small group of friends and their horses set out for the east coast. They were joined along with the way by other passionate travelers, and together they made their way across the southern United States. Some would join up for only a weekend or a set distance getting to have a brief taste of the experience only to make them want more. On March 14, 2015, with a lot of congratulatory fanfare, the Caravan arrived at the beautiful Grand Oaks Resort in Weirsdale, Florida, the weekend before the start of the popular Live Oak International CDE in nearby Ocala.
The weather was somewhat kind to the group traveling in the dead of winter; temperatures ranged some 40-50 degrees as they traveled along the way.
The Paagmans' Friesians were the flashy-working stars of the Caravan who drew the attention of many as each put in their own honest-day's work. In the fall of 2012, nine of the family's much-loved Dutch-bred horses headed to the southeast to film their part in "the Parade of Tributes" for the movie: The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" in Atlanta, Georgia.
The kindnesses experienced by The Caravan from overnight hosts, as well as entire towns did not go unnoticed. Holiday parades and celebrations that were taking place as the group made their way across the U.S. immediately opened their arms for their participation. Invitations for dinner, overnighting and educational show-and-tells for local school children made this journey a heartfelt experience for everyone.
The video above catches some of the activities of The Caravan's final days. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have.
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