‘A sense of Canadian pride': RCMP Musical Ride trots into Edmonton
Edmonton saw a red surge on Wednesday afternoon.
The RCMP Musical Ride is a troop of up to 32 police officers with their horses as they perform intricate formations and drills to music.
'I think it just gives a sense of Canadian pride,' said Const. Matthew Connolly.
It's Connolly's first time with the Musical Ride, but as someone who's worked barn rodeos, he said the performances are an 'iconic Canadian tradition.'
matthew connolly
Matthew Connolly on July 30, 2025. (Galen McDougall/CTV News Edmonton)
'You see us perform the drills … you see how much dedication, hard work goes into it, and it reminds you of the members that do the same thing every day for us in the RCMP,' Connolly said.
The ride lasts around 30 minutes and is staged in 50 communities across Canada each year between May and October.
It travels to each province once every four years. This year, Alberta, Quebec and the Northwest Territories are getting performances.
Twenty members of the troop performed at the Whitemud Equine Learning Centre on Wednesday. Their next stop will be in Strathmore, Alta.
'It's a lot of physical work … you've got to be connected with your horse,' Connolly said.
You also have to be prepared to power through the hot summer days in the name of tradition, he said.
Each community the ride goes to raises money for local charities and non-profit groups.
It's a sacrifice of time and comfort, but Connolly said he'll always do the work.
'It's something for us to give back,' he said.
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