聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The iconic Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride will be returning this year to Wawota, 25-years after the community hosted its first musical ride.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Gates to the event will open at 4 p.m. with entertainment including food booths, vendors from the Red Barn, music, bouncy castles, face painting and more between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. at which time the musical ride will begin.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Following the ride there will be musical entertainment by Tom Richards, beer gardens open, and supper.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The evening will also feature a meet and greet 鈥� with pictures 鈥� with the horses and riders at the end of the show.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Meredith Swanson with Wawota鈥檚 Business Enhancement Group, which is hosting the event, told The Observer, 鈥淲e had the Musical Ride in Wawota back in 1990. I was involved in that one, so I sent in another application, hoping, but never really thinking we鈥檇 get them to come again. We lucked out, because they only go to certain provinces each year and in 2015, it鈥檚 only in Saskatchewan and the Maritimes.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲e provided them with a really good experience the last time and we鈥檇 like to repeat that. We tried to look after them well. We barbequed a whole pig and they said then that they had never been looked after that well, ever.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The ride will be held at the natural amphitheatre just on the northern outskirts of town.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Swanson told The Observer, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a beautiful site and an excellent setting for the Musical Ride, because you can sit up and look down on the riders鈥� formations, or you can sit down low and see things at horse-level. The highlight from my point of view is the setting. It鈥檚 not a rodeo ground, which is the type of place it鈥檚 usually held.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Proceeds from the event will be put towards Wawota鈥檚 Heritage Park.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The first official RCMP Musical Ride was held in 1887 in Regina. Since then it has become a quintessentially Canadian event which is renowned around the world. Today the sight of the RCMP members in their Red Serge atop their horses heralds back to the beginning days as the North-West Mounted Police. A history and legacy the Musical Ride has become a must-see event in Canada.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Keeping with this tradition the Musical Ride has a full troop, which includes 32 riders and horses, as well as a member in charge.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 As a paramilitary group the RCMP execute intricate figures and complete cavalry drills precisely while following strict choreography to music.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Described on the RCMP鈥檚 website, the ride demands the 鈥渦tmost control, timing and coordination, these movements are formed by individual horses and riders, in two鈥檚, four鈥檚, and eight鈥檚 at a trot and at the canter. Months of training, practice and many kilometres/miles around the riding school make horse and rider one.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tickets are available in advance as well as at the door. Advance tickets can be purchased by Wednesday, July 15, by calling 306-739-2898, or by stopping by the Kenosee Inn, Kenosee Mini-Mart, King鈥檚 Department Store in Carlyle, in Wawota at Grammie鈥檚 Gift Emporium and 2nd Street Eats as well as the Wawota Town Office, or The World-Spectator in Moosomin.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Advanced tickets are $40 for a family pass which includes two adults and two children under 17-years. Adults are $12, youth aged 6-years-old to 17-years are $8 each, and children 5-years and under are free.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Tickets will also be available at the gate with adult tickets costing $15, youth ages 6鈥�17 will be $10, and children 5-years and under are free.
