RCMP to ride into Petrolia
The iconic RCMP musical ride will be a part of the Petrolia’s year-long 150thanniversary celebration, thanks to the Petrolia Enniskillen Agricultural Society. The musical ride will be in Petrolia on June 15 and 16 for two shows.
“It is a big deal,” said Krall, said the community is fortunate to host the musical ride. Each year the RCMP performs in up to 50 communities across Canada each year between May and October.
The RCMP rotate where the shows will be held each year, said Krall. This year, shows are being held in Ontario and Manitoba. “It definitely is a prestige thing,” says Krall, as she points to the history of the RCMP and what the musical ride means to Canada as a national symbol. One of the horses has even been gifted to King Charles III in the past.
The Petrolia and Enniskillen Agricultural Society applied to host the musical ride back in March. The contract to bring the musical ride to Petrolia was signed on Jan. 30, said Krall.
People are excited to have the opportunity to see the musical ride, said Krall. There has been a lot of people reach out to her about the event since it was announced last week. Krall called seeing the musical ride a “bucket list” type of experience. She was fortunate to see the musical ride in Calgary when she was visiting that city.
Petrolia has never hosted the musical ride, but it has been in Lambton County twice, in Brigden and in Alvinston.
There are up to 32 riders and their horses that perform intricate formations and drills set to music. These movements demand control, timing and coordination. All of the members of the musical ride are active police officers within the RCMP.
Blake Ellis, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Independent
