The Mounties — those emblems of the Canadian state, trotting along on horseback and dressed in scarlet red tunics — aren’t usually associated with music, except among those who have witnessed the RCMP Musical Ride.
Burns Lake will be the site of the musical ride on July 24, as part of a 2018 tour that will bring the choreographed spectacle to more than 30 locations across B.C. and Ontario, along with one in the United States.
The Mounties plan to perform at the Eagle Creek Fair Grounds, home of the Lakes District Fall Fair. It’s an event that remains “imprinted on your mind,” according to organizers.
Naida Hazelton — advertising chairperson with the Fall Fair, which is sponsoring the event — was just seven years old when her grandparents took her to the RCMP’s performance in Vernon, B.C. Sitting in a coffeeshop in Burns Lake, she recalled magnificent black horses and the red tunics of the officers against the clear blue sky.
“It gives you goosebumps,” said Hazelton, adding that it made her both safe and mesmerized. “You’re just in a trance.”
The troop includes three dozen horses — muscular beasts of Hanoverian stock with sleek black coats — and they travel with a farrier, the craftsman who trims and shoes their hooves. Their stables are located in Rockcliffe, just outside of Ottawa.
During performances, the riders guide their mounts through a series of figures based on cavalry drills that hearken back to the RCMP’s British military roots. The RCMP traces the ride back to 1887, when the first performance took place in Regina, Sask.
The Musical Ride this summer in Burns Lake — a first in the town’s history, according to organizers — will include a performance in the morning and another in the afternoon. The organizers are currently planning pre-show entertainment.
The decision by the RCMP to perform in Burns Lake was due partly to the recent improvements made to the fair grounds, said Joan McFee, president of the Lakes District Fall Fair Association. These included upgrades to the grandstands and washrooms and a new barn. McFee added that organizers will provide the bedding and a special blend of feed.
Tickets will be $20 for general admission and $10 for children between the ages of 3 and 12. Children below the age of three will get in free.