Thousands of guests from near and far experienced the precision of the RCMP Musical Ride during the 166th annual Paris Fair on Thursday, August 29 and Friday, August 30, 2024.
The spectacle featured 17 officers and their horses who performed a series of intricate formations and drills set to music.
Typically made up of a troop of up to 32 riders, the Musical Ride is a Canadian symbol of tradition, honour and pride that is performed both throughout Canada and internationally.
The roughly 30 minute show requires the utmost control, timing and coordination, and the event supports front-line police operations by supporting recruiting efforts and building positive relationships.
Inspector Kelly Godard, the officer in charge of the Musical Ride, kicked off the big event by welcoming the crowd and thanking them for being there.
“Good afternoon everyone and welcome to the Musical Ride, we are so happy to be here,” she said. “We showed here last night with fantastic weather and now we have round two with great weather again.”
Shortly after, Godard called Constable Amarjeet (AJ) Singh to her side for a special announcement.
“Today you are all a part of the RCMP Musical Ride history,” she said. ”Today we have a member in our group wearing his Dastar, which is a traditional Sikh turban. This is a huge day for the RCMP Musical Ride history and we welcome it with open arms. I now ask you for the biggest, warmest and heartfelt round of applause for Constable Singh.”
With the constable returning back to the lineup, Godard quickly got the show underway.
Throughout the performance, the crowd cheered and clapped along as the officers and their horses showed off their precision and skills with various formations like the Bridal Arch, the Star, the Wagon Wheel, the Dome and the Charge formations.
After the show and final salute, Godard asked that Constable Singh’s family members approach the field for a group picture before sending the officers and their horses to the gates of the arena to mingle with attendees.
“Because you were all such a great crowd, I will let the horse and riders come up to the fence line so you can get a chance to meet with them and ask questions.”
Getting an up close and personal view of the horses, guests of all ages took the opportunity to ask about the horses names and their age, and to take photos with the large Hanoverians before heading off to explore the fairgrounds.
Kimberly De Jong’s reporting is funded by the Canadian government through its Local Journalism Initiative.The funding allows her to report rural and agricultural stories from Blandford-Blenheim and Brant County. Reach her at kimberly.dejong@brantbeacon.ca.
