Merced County Sheriff's Posse gearing up for inauguration

WASHINGTON D.C. (KFSN) -- The cowboy hats made the Merced County Sheriff's Posse impossible to miss in Washington D.C. -- everywhere they go people notice.

"I've represented our County and state in different places but this is top notch," said Juanita Ellington, Sheriff's Posse.

"Everybody's excited; when you tell them we are from California they can't believe it. We tell them we are riding the horses obviously, the horses are good-- in fact the horses are more excited than we are," said Manuel King, Sheriff's Posse.

The $80,000 in donations was a blessing for the Sheriff's Posse. The horses are stabled in Maryland.

"I'm very proud of this unit that we have here and for us to be the ones representing Merced County let alone the state, you know we are very proud of our county too," said Vern Warnke, Merced County Sheriff.

The posse has become not only a North Valley tradition but a family tradition as well.

"I'm very excited my grandfather did this in Nixon's inauguration so this is kind of a generational thing for me. And we are just glad to be here, look good and try to put on a show," said Adam Acevedo, Sheriff's Posse.

The Merced County Sheriff's Posse will ride rain or shine.

The posse does not want to hear about rain but it is in Friday's forecast.