Seeing Red! Flintridge Sacred Heart usually is unchallenged when turning out the biggest support for their fellow students up for court. But this year they would meet stiff competition from other schools such as Maranatha, Marshall, and Westridge (Photo – Mike P.)
On Monday October 5th, 2015 the Pasadena Tournament of Roses (PTOR) announced it’s 2016 Royal Court from among 39 finalists, who themselves were chosen from nearly 1,000 Pasadena-area young women. From these seven, the next Rose Queen will be selected later this month.
By Mike Pashistoran
From my past articles on the PTOR you’ve become aware if you want a unique, sometimes entertaining, perspective on this or any other subject in Pasadena, that’s likely what you’re going to get from me! However, if you want “just the facts, Ma’am”, of what went down last Monday, well, any other news source will do.
I want to help people know a bit more about our city and the wonderful work of the Tournament of Roses than they probably knew. Still, for those who didn’t hear let me just give you the quick “facts”:
Royal Court Princesses 2016
- Bryce Marie Bakewell, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, Pasadena resident.
- Donaly Elizabeth Marquez, Blair High School, Pasadena resident.
- Natalie Beannne Hernandez-Barber, Alverno High School, Pasadena resident.
- Rachelle Chacal Rennee Liu, San Marino High School, Arcadia resident.
- Regina Marche Pullens, Maranatha High School, Altadena resident.
- Regina Sarah Sumiko Shaklan, La Canada High School, Altadena resident.
- Erika Karen Winter, Flintridge Preparatory School, Pasadena resident.
Following the naming of the Royal Court, the next Rose Queen will be selected on October 22nd at the Pasadena Convention Center from the selected Princesses (if you wish to attend, contact Sharp Seating Company to purchase tickets.) The Queen & Court Committee, chaired this year by Edward Morales, does the interviewing, selection, and chaperoning.
People I Saw
Past Presidents and Chairpersons of the PTOR, 2016 TOR President & Wife, White Suiter friends/acquaintances (members of the PTOR), 2016 Queen & Court Chairman, parents of past Royal Courts, PTOR Executive Director.
In The Crowd
Pasadena City College: The Official PTOR Band led by their maestra and baton twirler. This appeared to be the largest turnout of the half-dozen announcements or so I’ve seen. In fact, a white-suiter friend made a similar observation to me. The “competing” schools also came out stronger than ever. Before, Flintridge Sacred Heart typically turned out the strongest for their finalists, but this time most schools turned out in support (Photo Mike P.)
Besides the media, “white-suiter” members, and staff of the PTOR, families/friends of the girls, and, last but certainly not least – schoolmates acting as pep squads from the various schools of the finalists were all present (thankfully a white-suiter friend saved me a favorite viewing spot).
Media
The event officially starts with the focus switching to Christina (in the middle) as she goes live on KTLA-5 with the introduction (Photo – Mike P.)
Once you’ve been to this event you realize the selection of the Royal Court is as much a media day as it is for the finalists anxiously awaiting to hear if they will be one of the lucky seven to sit on the Royal Court. Christina Pascucci, KTLA-5, Conan Nolan, KNBC-4, Laura Monteros of the Examiner, PCC Courier, were just some of the media that was here.
From the hundreds of shots I took, here’s a brief photo gallery with descriptions of that October 5th rosy, royal announcement day.
PTOR Chairperson of the Queen & Royal Court committee, Edward Morales, comes out to welcome the assembly, introduces his committee members, then reintroduces each of the 39 finalists (Photo _ Mike P.)
Four princesses from the outgoing 2015 Royal Court are introduced. In their last act they will congratulate each of the 7 girls named to the new Royal Court with a bouquet of roses. In effect, they transfer power to the new court and their term as the reigning Princesses ends that same day. The Princess on the right – Veronica Mejia – her family owns a couple of Mexican food restaurants in the area (Ranchero) and she has been helpful with giving menu recommendations.
Chairman Morales calls out each finalist. They come out of the Rose Room, down the stairs, escorted by a male member of the Queen & Royal Court committee. As each girl with their school in named, you get competing cheers from the various school here in support. With many of the girls, nervous in front of the masses and TV cameras for the first time, wearing miniskirts and minidresses matched with high-heels, it’s a minor miracle I have yet to witness a single gal trip & fall on the stairs! Just one example of the preparation the PTOR gives these young women! (Photo – Mike P.)
After the finalists, the 2016 president of the PTOR makes his appearance. Morales hands him envelopes with the name of each finalists selected to the Royal Court. The outgoing Royal Court Princesses hand each girl of the new Royal Court with a bouquet of Roses in congratulations (Photo – Mike P.)
A pair of wonderful representatives for Pasadena and the PTOR, president Mike Matthiessen and his wife. The president will stand out from the other white-suit members by wearing the presidents red suit (Photo – Mike P.)
Chairman of the Queen & Royal Court committee, Edward Morales. About every 2-3 years the white-suiters will switch to a new committee which covers another part of putting on the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game. If they’ve been a member “long-enough,” and have some luck on their side, they will be among the lucky few to reach the top of the PTOR for a year! (Photo – Mike P.)
Christina Pascucci, KTLA-5. “Hey, Christina: Fight-On!”, and, “Will you accept this Rose?” I said to the USC grad! (Well, you can see she’s holding the Rose don’t you!) As great a reporter as she is, she’s an even better person. She gets involved in causes to help people, helping others less fortunate, such as being a Big Sister, and I’ve been just one tiny part in responding to her calls for help. “Hey, will you send me a copy of these photos? “ She asks. I sent them to her & her response… “Awesome!” (Photo – Mike P.)
Executive Director of the PTOR, William Flinn, with the new Royal Court in the background (Photo – Mike P.)
The 2016 Royal Court (Photo – PTOR)
There’s nothing more to tell you except to say, never been to the Rose Parade or Rose Bowl? Put it on your bucket-list as a must do!
So long from the world headquarters of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses. This is what it was all about on this special day – some of the Pasadena areas finest: The 2016 Royal Court.
Mike Pashistoran contributes to ColoradoBoulevard.net & other websites. He is a member of the Pasadena Museum of History and Pasadena Heritage and co-administers the popular Pasadena Politics page and group on Facebook.
What a beautiful article ! Wonderful pictures and updates on what the Tournament of Roses is doing 🙂