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How would your buddies with lifted trucks respond if you asked the following question: “How should I power a 100,000 pound float for the Rose Parade that will hold 6,600 gallons of water for dogs to surf on?” If your buddy replied, “Drop in a 2012 Ford F-650 engine,” he would be correct.

Natural Balance returned to the 2012 Rose Parade with a gigantic Ford-powered float that features surfing dogs. Sponsored by Dick Van Patten’s Natural Balance Pet Foods, celebrity canines Tillman & Friends will be having fun in the sun, as it’s “Surf’s Up” on this over 116 foot long float set on a moving beach with ‘live’ waves created by the World’s first rolling white water surfing machine.

After extensive training, the dogs will actually surf on waves in more than 6,600 gallons of water
on a float weighing more than 100,000 pounds. “Trying to set the Guinness record for the World’s longest and heaviest float is no small engineering feet. That’s why I was so happy that Ford is providing the engine and transmission to make sure our over 100,000 pound float will be ok as it rolls down the street for this year’s parade,” said Joey Herrick President Natural Balance Pet Foods.

The record breaking float is driven by the same Ford-built and designed 6.8-liter three-valve V10 gasoline engine that powers Ford’s best-selling F-Series Super Duty chassis cab work trucks, E-Series vans and the new 2012 Ford F-650 medium duty truck. The engine is paired with a fuel-efficient Ford six-speed automatic transmission. The same engine also can be easily modified to run on clean-burning compressed natural gas. “The Built Ford Tough 6.8-liter V10 is one dependable engine,” said George Weber, President and CEO, Ford Component Sales. “Over the last decade, it’s powered nearly half a million Ford trucks and vans. Every day, Ford customers across the U.S. use this 10-cylinder workhorse for commerce and recreation, from towing a trailer to a campground to plowing snowy streets.”

The world record-breaking Tillman, holder of the Guinness World Records as the fastest skateboarding dog, is going for two new Guinness World Records on the 2012 Natural Balance float. Natural Balance will attempt to break its own world record as the longest Rose Parade float in history (awarded in 2010 at 113 feet long) in addition to the record for the heaviest float in a Parade. Natural Balance holds the Guinness World Record for their 2011 Rose Parade float entry weighing in at 84,300 pounds.

NASCAR driver Greg Biffle, who races a Ford Fusion will sit up front with Dick and Jimmy Van Patten to help guide the float. Greg and his wife Nicole are founders of the Greg Biffle Foundation created to help awareness and serve as an advocate for the well being of all animals. “I can’t wait to see the float,” said Biffle. “I’ve heard a lot about this year’s Natural Balance float and I’ve seen video of the floats from the last couple of years. Tillman came to our shop at Roush-Fenway Racing last month and we got to see him skateboard. He’ll be surfing on the float this year so I can’t wait to see that. It was definitely an honor to be asked to be on the Natural Balance float because we share the same passion for the well-being of animals.”

SoCal SAYS: Not only is it great to see Ford powering the longest float in history, it’s also great to see that Natural Balance Pet Food loves 1) Ford Trucks, 2) Skateboarding, surfing, and snowboarding, 3) Animals, 4) NASCAR. Natural Balance is the SoCalTrucks of pet food. We love those guys.