Musical Ride

The Musical Ride of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police is an event showcasing the equestrian skills performed by 32 cavalry who are regular members of the force. The event is held in Canada and worldwide to promote the RCMP. The first official ride was held in 1887 in Regina, District of Assiniboia, and was commanded by Inspector William George Matthews. The Musical Ride is featured on the Canadian fifty-dollar bill of the Scenes of Canada banknote series produced from 1969 to 1979.

Musical Ride
Le Carrousel  (French)
Agency overview
Formed1887
Volunteers32 riders
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionCanada
Operational structure
HeadquartersOttawa, Ontario
Parent agencyRoyal Canadian Mounted Police
Website
rcmp-grc.gc.ca/en/musical-ride

History

In the 1920s and 1930s, there were two cavalry units, one in Regina and one in Ottawa.[1]

The activities of the Musical Ride temporarily ceased in 1939, because of the Second World War and did not resume until 1948.[1]

In 1966, riding on horseback ceased to be part of police duties for new members of the RCMP. The unit then moved to Pakenham, Ontario in 1968 and became a separate unit.[1]

The RCMP and the Musical Ride were all men at its foundation. The first woman was incorporated to the Ride in 1981.[1]

During its annual tour of Canada and abroad, usually from May to October, the Musical Ride visits 40 to 50 locations. Domestically, it is found every 1 July in Ottawa on Canada Day and has performed at the Expo 67, the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, and the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.[1]

In 2020, as the result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Musical Ride first held an on-line GC Surplus auction of its surplus horses and horse semen. In former years, the biennial auction process was more tightly controlled.[2]

References
  1. "Histoire de la Gendarmerie royale du Canada". 2009-07-22. Retrieved 2019-12-01.
  2. Nardi, Christopher (23 October 2020). "Her online profile says she's petite, elegant, intelligent - and for sale". National Post, a division of Postmedia Network Inc.


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