Trotting with the troop

by Deb Saine
For the Pharos-Tribune

January 20, 2009 10:52 am

— CULVER — The command “eyes left” will be barked out by the squadron commander as Culver Academies’ Black Horse Troop and Equestriennes pass the new commander in chief during the presidential inaugural parade.
But instead of saluting President Barack Obama, Kord Golliher’s head will snap sharply to the left in unison with 99 other cadets as a collective gesture of respect.
That’s the moment Golliher, a sophomore, says he is looking forward to the most while he sits astride a black horse named Jet, trotting down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C. He’s excited about the fact that he’ll “actually get to see Obama.”
“We won’t be able to salute because we’ll be carrying flags,” said the Peru native, the son of Janice Golliher Clemons and James Golliher, both of Miami County.
After attending North Miami High School in Denver his freshman year, this is Golliher’s first year at Culver. He received one of six distinguished merit scholarships awarded from the Batten Scholars Program.
According to the Culver Web site, the Batten scholarship is a full-tuition, merit scholarship that also includes room and board, required fees, uniforms, and books. The scholarship is renewable annually. Recipients must excel academically, as student leaders and in extracurricular activities. 
Although Golliher had only ridden horses a couple of times in his life, he said he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to join the Black Horse Troop.
“I did it on a whim, to be honest,” he said. “It was like, ‘Where else could I learn to ride horses, travel and do all these great things?’”
Golliher talked it over with his mom, and they decided he shouldn’t pass up such a great opportunity
“He’s said, ‘Mom, I love this,’” said Clemons.
In addition to being a member of the troop, Golliher also takes horsemanship classes twice a week.
Although Golliher started out riding horses with names like Erma, Hershey and Paddington, he was soon doing well enough that his instructor gave him a mount that was “a little harder to ride but more picturesque,” said Golliher.
“It’s better than I expected it to be,” said Golliher, who explained that the troop is an honor guard at the academy, and its members are expected to have the cleanest rooms, get top grades and march at the highest level.
“I love the unit and the unit pride,” he said. “People look up to the troop.”

Fifteen and counting
This will be the 15th time the Black Horse Troop has been invited to participate in an inaugural parade, according to a news release from the Culver Academies. The troop’s first two appearances were in 1913 and 1917 at Woodrow Wilson’s two inaugurations.
Forty years passed before another invitation was extended, this time for Dwight D. Eisenhower’s second inauguration in 1957. This started a string of consecutive appearances at the inaugural parade through 1989. The troop marched again in 1997 at the second inauguration for Bill Clinton. 
Culver’s Black Horse Troop made its first formal appearance in 1897, serving as honor guard for then Indiana Governor James Mount at the Grand Army of the Republic Encampment in Richmond.
The Culver Girls’ Academy Equestriennes first appeared at the second inauguration for Ronald Reagan in 1985.

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