MISSOULA — After 60 years, a Carousel for Missoula is welcoming home an original horse to its herd.
One horse was an integral part of an antique carousel in Incline Village, Nevada. However, when that ride shut down, the horses and frame were dismantled and sold individually until Chuck Kaparich brought them back together to make A Carousel For Missoula.
Creating Missoula's carousel took over 100,000 hours of volunteer effort leading up to its opening in 1995. It is still doted on by guests and volunteers alike today.
Until 2024, a California collector had one of the Nevada horses for over six decades but brought it to Missoula to reunite the pony with its original carousel frame.
Pony Keeper and artist John Thompson, who has been a part of the carousel since the beginning, says the horse being added is around 100 years old and was surprised to hear of its return.
The legacy piece in Caras Park has a deep meaning for lovers of this part of city history.
"Having the history of it coming back here to live the rest of its life in Missoula with the mechanism and with the new herd, it just should be a real meaningful thing for the town of Missoula."
A celebration for the pony will be held on Thursday, Nov. 14, starting at 5:30 p.m.
This event will coincide with the carousel's annual Ride-A-Thon fundraiser.
