Help keep the Fort’s NWMP Musical Ride Running!
Due to cuts in the Provincial Budget this year, STEP, (Student Temporary Employment Program) a major grant for hiring students in the summer months, was discontinued. This will be a great blow to the Fort Museum’s most well-known programs and performances. The Fort is attempting to raise funds to keep our exhibits (such as the NWMP Musical Ride) up and running, with no cuts in days or times. Please consider contributing to the Fort to help us keep our tradition of history alive, and please …
Pass the word along!
See you July 1st 2013!
The Musical Ride Performs Daily, from July 1st to End of August, at:
10:00am | 11:30am | 2:00pm | 3:30pm
The Musical Ride is considered one of the museum’s exhibits, your admission fee includes the Musical Ride performance!
A reminder that due to the nature of the Musical Ride, some cancellations may occur depending on arena conditions, weather etc. Please call ahead for our current information. (403) 553-4703
According to the RCMP and historic records, the first recorded display of the NWMP riding performance, under the direction of Sergeant Major Belcher – and with no public in attendance – took place at Fort Macleod, Alberta in 1876. Training for and performing the Musical Ride provided relief for the officers from the daily drill periods and routine duties.
Although The Fort does supply RCMP and Official Musical Ride merchandise in the Gift Shop, the Fort Museum’s NWMP Musical Ride is not the official RCMP Musical Ride, nor are the riders members of the RCMP.
Are you interested in being a part of the Musical Ride during your visit? Check out our Groom-a-Horse program!
“There is some talk at HQ of organizing the Force’s best horsemen into something to be called The Musical Ride. This is taking the form of a sort of equine Roger de Coverley, and I fear that I may have been responsible for starting the madness. One day at Dufferin my horse was startled into a gallop by a somewhat embarrassing noise and I inadvertently rode with my eyes closed right through a line of lancers without hitting anyone, then reined my horse around, lost control, and went pell-mell through them again. Some fool saw the intersection as clever, when put to music.” – Frances Dickens, Swan River Barracks, Manitoba September 25, 1875
