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This 2008 Fiesta de Los Vaqueros Tucson Rodeo Parade went smoothly with no significant problems despite some complaints of heavy-handed application of new rules imposed after a fatal accident last year claimed the life of a 5-year-old girl.

Most people appeared to accept and follow the new rules for the parade that kicked off at 9:05 a.m. Thursday with five cheerleaders from Flowing Wells High School carrying a school banner.

They were followed by five horseman carrying flags from the United States, Arizona, Spain and Mexico and then the University of Arizona marching band.

The last entries had left the intersection of East Ajo Way and South Park Avenue within three hours and police reported no major incidents or arrests, said Sgt. Fabian Pacheco, a Tucson Police Department spokesman.

Parade officials breathed a sigh of relief at the end of the parade, happy at the outcome and that the tradition would continue.

“We’re just happy we had a very successful parade with no incidents,” said Herb Wagner, a Tucson Rodeo Parade Committee spokesman. “We’re just relieved and recuperating from a very early morning.”

Most parade officials started the day about 3 a.m., he said.

Tucson police and rodeo officials ratcheted up safety rules after the death of 5-year-old Brielle Boisvert in last year’s parade. Brielle was killed when the horses pulling a carriage behind spooked and bolted, running into her house.

She was thrown from the animal and crushed under the oncoming wagon.

A police investigation revealed a woman in a purple dress who walked across the parade route may have spooked the horses.

New rules instituted for this years parade — including a ban on people crossing into the parade route — are intended to prevent a repeat of the accident.

City officials painted a red line on the curb to let people know exactly how close to the street they could sit.

To enforce the rules, police were positioned about every 50 yards along the parade route with instructions to arrest people that did not comply.

This year 149 officers were responsible for crowd control and another 113 for regulating traffic around the parade, Pacheco said. In years past, officers were were asked to do both crowd and traffic control, he said.

Another safety measure this year was to increase the space between parade entries and provide an even greater distance between marching bands and horses in the parade. People were also told not to bring balloons, firecrackers or any kind of noisemaker.

At the corner of Park Ave. and Irvington Road, at an impromptu memorial that sprang up after Brielle's death last year, there were several flower bouquets, miniature horses and angel figurines as well as a card addressed to "the family of our little rodeo angel."

Although most people seemed to accept the new precautions, some felt the early enforcement was a bit heavy-handed.

Nearby, as the crowd waited for the parade to begin, some spectators were grumbling about the new rules.

Vicki Cass, said her 14-year-old son had crossed the street to the a convenience store to use the restroom and buy some chips and was stopped by police as he tried to return to his mother's side. She said she has returned to the same spot to watch the parade year after year, and arrived at 7:15 to save her spot.

"I've been here every year since I moved to Tucson, and I'll never be here again," she said. "I obey the rules and everything, but this is ridiculous, they could have walked him across." Cass was not alone.

All along the route, people trying to cross the street for various reasons attempted to cross. It briefly took on the appearance of a ritual dance — First somebody stepped into the street, then a cop pointed and shouted, receiving a pleading explanation in return.

Hitch Paprocki and Judi Guignard got separated on different sides of the street and after police refused passage.

“I know they’re trying to keep up on security and all, but it hasn’t even started yet,” Guignard said. “They’re yelling at people.”

In their case, a parade marshall interceded and allowed them to cross. At Park and Irvington, police relented, and people rush across the street to rejoin family and friends just before the start of the parade.

Pacheco said officers have to use their own judgment when deciding to let people cross the roadway as they waited for the parade to start, but were told to stop allowing people across about 10 minutes before the parade started.

He said that and other issues would likely be discussed at a Tucson police meeting planned for after the parade to discuss what went right and what could be done next year to ensure things go even smoother, Pacheco said.

Wagner said Rodeo Parade officials also planned to meet with Tucson police.