On June 22, 2023, the RCMP Musical Ride rolled into the Kamloops Agri-Centre. I hadn’t been since I was a kid, so I was excited to see this spectacle again! It never fails to leave one feeling patriotic to watch the riders in their red serge perform the intricate patterns on their beautiful black Hanoverian horses. Although the horses are very well-trained and of course the mounties practice endlessly, horses will be horses and the crowd gasped when one horse reared straight up mid-show! The mountie stayed on, even continuing to hold his flag (and thus the reins in one hand, as they do the entire ride), and was able to resume the show once his horse had “four on the floor” again! I didn’t catch a photo of it as I was focused on another rider at the time, but I have dozens of other fantastic photos to share. Here is some information about the musical ride from the booklet that was handed out:

The RCMP Musical Ride tours throughout Canada between May and October, performing at about 50 venues each year across the country. There are also international performances.

The Musical Ride event allows different groups across Canada to use it as a way to raise money for various organizations by selling tickets.

A symbol of tradition, honour and pride, the Musical Ride is a Canadian icon recognized at home and abroad. The Musical Ride supports police operations by building positive relationships, supporting recruiting efforts and promoting the RCMP’s image in communities in Canada and around the world.

The troop of up to 32 riders — all police officers — and their horses perform intricate formations and drills set to music. lasting about 30 minutes. These movements demand the utmost control, timing and coordination.

For more information on the RCMP Musical Ride. go online to tinyurl.com/ms6wtmzk.

Before the musical ride commenced, there was also a barrel racing demonstration. All together, this was quite a bit of horsepower for one evening!