In the 1800’s, young local women would race their flower laden horses through the dusty dirt streets of Honolulu. The bright, culotte style skirts they wore allowed them to sit astride of the horse instead of riding sidesaddle as was fashionable for women in Europe and North America at the time. By the turn of the century, the tremendous influx of immigrants into the islands and the addition of pavement to Honolulu’s streets necessitated a prohibition on individual pa’u riding. As a result, pa’u riders slowly became an integral addition to the myriad of parades held throughout the year on every island and remains an island tradition to this day. Usually, each Hawai’ian Island is represented by a princess and their entourage with The Queen and her entourage leading the procession. The rider’s attire is specifically color coded to represent their particular island. As an example, pa’u riders from the island of Maui always wear pink as their central color. The horses which they ride can only be festooned with flowers that grow on the islands they represent. Today, Pa’u riding takes months of equestrian practice and fund raising. Each team makes their own costumes, leis, and floral garlands which are later judged in a competition for the coveted top award… The Pa’u Rider Queen. Tripod mounted Canon 30D with remote and Canon 18-55 mm lens. Photoshop post production for level and color correction.