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The smell of livestock was rich in Denver Thursday at high noon. Horses, longhorn steers, and even alpacas, mingled with people as they paraded along 17th Street through the financial district, from Union Station to Broadway.

Roughly 300 people to a block swarmed the streets and hung out of balconies along the route to get a good look at the animals, and cowgirls and cowboys dressed in Western finery.

The Stock Show parade has acted as the kicking off to the National Western Stock Show for decades, canceled due to weather only once — last year — spokeswoman Karen Woods said.

鈥淲e had riding groups from across the state,鈥� parade coordinator Debbie Mills said after the parade on Thursday. 鈥淲e had people coming from as far Breckenridge.鈥�

Riders in the dozens of entries ranged from a pint-sized mutton buster on a stuffed sheep and a 4-year-old boy on a shaggy pony to men and women in their 70s and 80s, most sporting fancy Stetson hats and decorated cowboy boots.

The parade drew all kinds of people to the sidewalks to watch — some were ranchers, others were bona fide city slickers — but that’s the point of the parade, to pay homage to Colorado’s cowboy roots.

“That was the way cattle used to come in, cattle drives down the street,” Woods said. “Now, I think it’s just a way for the city to come out and experience the event.”

Tangeree Gillette brought her 3-year-old son, Jorryn Fletcher, along with a friend and her daughter. 鈥淭he kids seem to be having fun,鈥� she said while they watched the alpacas trot along.聽鈥淭hey better not want a pony (after this.)”

Small “neighs” toward the horses could be heard from some youngins, including 2-year-old Isaac Mann of Thornton who plans on being a cowboy when he grows into his boots. And Sage Meads, 8, who’s been attending the parade since she was born, said it’s not better than Christmas, but it’s pretty close.

The parade also brought out full-grown cowboys, such as Breyuan Riley of Aurora, who’s wanted to attend for years but the timing was never right. Things worked out this year and he scored a prime location for himself and eight sons, daughters, nieces and nephews, more than an hour before the parade started. Riley and his family were among the few black people in the crowd.

“We’re one of the many families that are black cowboys in our neighborhood,” he said. Riley, decked in a black cowboy hat, has owned two horses for the past four years: Nugget, 9, a palomino quarter horse and Cowboy, 6, a聽paint.

The National Western Stock Show begins at 11 am Saturday. Some events are at the coliseum while others will be at the聽National Western Events Center. Check the for location, pricing and tickets.