CALGARY looking back 45 Royal Canadian Mounted Police MUSICAL RIDE A t any event where Canada hosts the world, such as the World Expo, the Olympic Games, state and royal visits, or the Spruce Meadows “Masters”, the men and women of the Mounties in their scarlet uniforms are front and centre stage, proudly representing Canada’s colours. A field of 32 riders — a blur of scarlet, a flurry of black manes and tails, and the synchronized rhythm of military manoeuvres. Spectacular! This is the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride, a 127-year-old institution. It has thrilled crowds regularly at Spruce Meadows since 1975 and will do so again this year at the Spruce Meadows “Masters”. Member officers who apply to be part of the Musical Ride undergo a two-phase course. From about 800 applications, only as few as 14 will be chosen. They participate in the Ride for three years before returning to regular duty. Some come from farm backgrounds, while others have never sat in a saddle. Team work is most important, whether it be working together in the stables, riding in formation, or sharing buses and hotel rooms. Each rider is assigned a horse and is responsible for its care. The RCMP Musical Ride is steeped in history, beginning with the formation of the North West Mounted Police in 1873, established to make the Prairies safe for settlement and to stop illegal trade of whisky. Its motto was “Maintiens le droit” (Defend the law). Members had to be able to ride, a skill tested to the fullest on their March West from Fort Dufferin, Manitoba in 1874. To ensure horses are dark and of a docile temperament, the RCMP has its own breeding program, based in Pakenham, Ontario (in the 1940s, it was located at Fort Walsh in Saskatchewan’s Cypress Hills). Most of the horses have thoroughbred and Hannoverian blood. Handled from the day they are born, the horses undergo intensive training at the RCMP Rockcliffe Stables in Ottawa. Not all will make the cut. Those that are not dark enough, or blessed with a personality suitable for the Ride will be auctioned off to other horse enthusiasts. Thirty-six horses travel with the Ride, and 32 participate in the performance. They are transported in three trucks, with a fourth truck carrying the gear, from saddles and white head ropes, to bridles and blankets. Each horse has its own tack box, and there are shovels, wheelbarrows, rakes and feed bowls. A farrier also travels with the team. For the first time in the Ride’s history, it is under the command of a female officer. Superintendent Leslie Cook, Officer in Charge, took command of the Ride in 2014. Superintendent Cook is a former member of the Ride and returns to the saddle after years of distinguished service in numerous other branches of Canada’s national police force. This year we invite you to capture the spirit of the Ride. Witness the partnership between rider and horse. Share in this Canadian tradition and rich part of our heritage at the 2014 Spruce Meadows “Masters” Tournament.
Rolex Grand Slam magazine - Number 2
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