COLORADO SPRINGS — The Fort Carson Mounted Color Guard is deactivating after 58 years of service. Fort Carson leaders said there is not enough funding to keep the team going.
The annual Run for the Fallen is one of its last events before disbanding in January.
The team has performed the opening ceremony every year since the run started in 2019.
"They just bring so much just pageantry, majesty with the horses, with themselves... we really do love having them be part of our opening ceremony at Fort Carson," said one organizer Jennifer Earp.
"It's been an honor."
The 3-day 100-mile Run for the Fallen event starts tomorrow. Runners will be honoring the 450 military service members with ties in Colorado.
The Mounted Color Guard's last event is the Pioneers Pull and Parade in Florence this Saturday.
Fort Carson leaders are working on finding homes for the Color Guard horses.
The history of the Fort Carson Mounted Color Guard traces its roots back to 1965 according to the United States Department of the Army. The idea came from Hugh Trabandt, an Army civilian worker.
In 1965 his wish was granted when he was able to win the support of Lt. Col. Ernest S. Ferguson, commander of the 4th Squadron, 12th Cavalry (Mechanized), 5th Infantry Division on Fort Carson. The post stable was established with 30 horses out of the Central Post Fund but there was no money for uniforms.
Trabandt came up with the uniforms by contacting Army posts and Army surplus stores across the country searching for dress blues to hand stitch the uniforms together.
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