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F ordecades,Ran- dy Clayton has been a fixture in downtown Santa Cruz. Not as a performer, business owner or charac- ter. Clayton organizes and drives the horse-drawn carriages each year in Downtown Santa Cruz during the holidays. "I feel a part of the community and that the horses are a part of the community," he said. Since the early 1990s, Clayton and his horses have worked with the Downtown Association in December to ferry shoppers through the streets. Clayton has decades of experience handling horses under his belt but says the streets of down- town are tough to navigate. With buses, inattentive pedestrians, drivers un- accustomed to horses and the occasional firetruck, he must stay on his toes. "You have to pay atten- tion down there and it's not as easy as it looks," he said. He'll be frequenting Downtown Santa Cruz for four days: Dec. 16, 17, 22 and 23. He has seven horses under his care, includ- ing three Belgians, two English shires and two percherons. Clayton prides himself in giving a hands-on experience to riders. With each ride, riders get an opportunity to talk with Clayton about horses and get up close with the animals. "People come up and they can touch and pet them," he said. "It's an ap- proach you don't see very much." While working long shifts over the years, Clay- ton has noticed a certain flow of the downtown. During the waking hours, shoppers, families and tour- ists are his usual carriage customers. At night, the crowd becomes younger and has a new energy. "The type of people that show up and do their thing," he said. "It's kind of neat." His business isn't just downtown. He got his start after he moved to Santa Cruz in 1985 and got a team of horses together to work with a volunteer organization at Wilder Ranch State Park. Since then, he has steadily grown his clientele. In past years, Clayton and his wife, Chris, have worked in Pacific Grove, Dominican Hospital and Boulder Creek. This year, he'll also be at Wilder Ranch for their Victorian Christmas event and in Scotts Valley for the city's tree lighting ceremony. One of the most vibrant memories Clayton has is working an anniversary of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Park officials tapped Clayton for carriage rides for the event. During the event, docents dressed as historical figures for the crowds and stayed in character. One actor played President Theo- dore Roosevelt and Clay- ton ended up bringing him to Downtown Santa Cruz, stopping by the now-demolished Cooper House. The actor Roos- evelt gave a long speech, thanking the people of Santa Cruz for embracing the state park and pre- serving the redwoods for future generations. "I got to thinking while he's talking about that is that it's me," Clayton said. "It was pretty neat. That I was one of the gen- erations he was talking about." Clayton also remembers the generations that come through his car- riage ride. One mother brought her daughter for a carriage ride years ago. The duo came back recently, accompanied by a grandchild. Friends and acquaintances come by with apples and carrots for the horses. "I think one of my best memories is seeing all the people and kids grow up. Meeting people that you've known forever and knowing you're not the only one that's getting old," he said with a hearty laugh. By Calvin Men HorsesandHolidays Ithink one of mybest memories isseeing all thepeople and kids growup. –RandyClayton Campbell 408-378-4921 900 DELL AVE. Morgan Hill 408-779-7368 95 E. MAIN AVE. Hollister 861-638-1999 2610 SAN JUAN RD. Salinas 831-424-7368 210 W.MARKET ST. Santa Clara 408-727-0822 2550 LAFAYETTE ST. Santa Cruz 831-477-7133 3700 SOQUEL AVE. Watsonville 831-722-0334 285 W. BEACH ST. •AIRCOMPRESSORS • AUTO TOOLS • CHAIN SAWS • GENERATORS • GARDEN TOOLS • LOG SPLITTERS • MIXERS • FORKLIFTS • MANLIFTS • LIGHT TOWERS • REACH LIFTS • BACKHOES • TRUCKS • TRAILERS www.AToolShed.com 1-800-A-TOOL-SHED WE DELIVER equipmentrentals&sales we pay the sales tax on rentals! Community continued... Randy Clayton, far left, provides the community with horse-drawn carriage rides in downtown Santa Cruz during the holiday season. DAN COYRO - SANTA CRUZ SENTINEL FRIDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2016 SANTACRUZSENTINEL.COM | COMMUNITY | 3 C