Rainbird Wins it's 8th Consecutive Tournament of Roses Trophy

Rain Birds winning float depicts a glimmering winter snow thaw on the Grand Canyon?EUR??,,????'???s dense floral forest floor.

The Rain Bird Corporation, the leading manufacturer of irrigation products and services, has been awarded the prestigious Grand Marshal Trophy in recognition of their 2004 Tournament of Roses Parade entry, ?EUR??,,????'??Springtime Symphony.?EUR??,,????'?? The Grand Marshal Trophy is traditionally awarded to a float displaying excellence in creative concept and design.

Rain Bird?EUR??,,????'???s winning float depicted a glimmering winter snow thaw on the Grand Canyon?EUR??,,????'???s dense floral forest floor and featured a family of spotted owls with newly hatched chicks, nestled between a red-crested pileated woodpecker, a curious Ocelot cub and a furry chipmunk. With eight cascading waterfalls and 24 high-pressure misting nozzles using over 1,500 gallons of recycled water, the 55-foot long, 30-foot high float, continued Rain Bird?EUR??,,????'???s Rose Parade tradition of saluting the world?EUR??,,????'???s most precious resource ?EUR??,,????'??? water.

Built by Fiesta Parade Floats, and designed and flowered by Raul Rodriguez and floral director Jim Hynd, the realistic textures and coloration of the creatures on ?EUR??,,????'??Springtime Symphony?EUR??,,????'?? were created through the use of exotic flowers and plants.

Cordon puffs and pampas grass were used to create realistic colors in shades and textures of browns, cream and white on the owls. Sugar pine cone petals were used to achieve a leathery appearance on the owl?EUR??,,????'???s legs, and the soft fluffy down on the baby chicks was created with angel hair, sepia and Spanish pampas grass. The fuzzy fur of the young ocelot was achieved by blending shades of yellow, gold, orange and bronze strawflower petals. Carnation petals formed a woodpeckers distinctive red crest. Hand-brushed palm fiber created a natural fur for the chipmunks. Spring meadows glowed with tulips, alstroemeria, lily of the valley, freesia, bells of Ireland, forsythia, liatris, daffodils, muscari, hyacinths and roses.

This latest win marks Rain Bird?EUR??,,????'???s 8th consecutive Tournament of Roses Trophy and their first Grand Marshal Trophy win in the company?EUR??,,????'???s eight-year parade history. ?EUR??,,????'??We?EUR??,,????'???re proud of the important message of environmental conservation that our float communicates,?EUR??,,????'?? said Rain Bird corporate marketing brand manager, Stacy Sharkey.