Okay a few people have asked for more details on the rose parade. So here is some further information from the task force.... and no just because this information is up here doesn't mean that I endorse or oppose the project. Each breeder has to make his or her own decision on this one.

The Rose Parade will be broadcast on ABC, NBC, Univision, HGTV,
Travel Channel, Discovery HD as well as KWHY and KTLA in the Los
Angeles area. The Parade is also seen in more than 150 international
territories.

Who is the Tournament of Roses audience?
Approximately 40 million Americans watch the Rose Parade on TV, as
well as millions of international viewers in 150 territories around
the world. The combined total HH ratings for the live and the various
rebroadcasts of the 2006 Rose Parade was 15 or approximately 16.5
million households.
The Pasadena Police Department annually estimates that approximately
one million people attend the Rose Parade each year.
Over the past three years, an average of 70,000 people visited the
Post Parade Float Viewing in the 2½ days following the Rose Parade.
It is going to cost a lot so where are we gonna get all this money?!?
The first thing we did was ask people to contribute some monetary
amount when they renew their annual AOBA membership. If everyone
contributed $100, we would already have $400,000. We won't know for a
while how well that does for us. We had some big ideas fall through
due to legal things, like a national raffle, or a raffle at ABOA
Nationals. so we will have to go to one of our biggest assets as an
organization, our affiliates to ask for your assistance. The
affiliates will be hearing from the Rose Parade Task Force in an
official request for help in early 2008.

This is a quote from a Task Force Member

"I want you ALL to know that whenever the AC came up I strongly
opposed requiring an affiliate to contribute a certain amount or even
requiring them to participate.

There will be no strong arming here. This is not a political hot
potato or a "spitting" contest if you know what I mean. It's all
about a new way to make alpacas and their fiber a household word.
That opens up new markets for alpaca products and the more mainstream
we are the less we will have to fight the "emu" argument and the more
respect we will get as a livestock industry. The goal is one of unity.

The whole Rose Parade Project is completely intended to be a win-win
event for all alpacas and everyone involved with alpacas and their
products. Look for a letter from the Rose Parade Task Force very soon
with more."