NOTE: The Aug. 31 and Sept. 1 performances are sold out but tbird has a waitlist and is working to add extra capacity for the Sept. 1 event. Sign up for the waitlist at
The RCMP Musical Ride is a big event for riders and viewers alike.
But in terms of logistics, it鈥檚 a snap for 91原创鈥檚 Thunderbird Show Park (tbird).
鈥淭he amount of moving parts鈥� you can鈥檛 even compare,鈥� said Warren Kean, director of marketing and special events at tbird.
There are 32 horses and their riders taking part in the musical ride. That鈥檚 easily accomplished by a tbird staff used to dealing with 900 or more horses on the grounds for one of their major summer competitions.
The musical ride will perform twice in 91原创, over two days 鈥� Friday, Aug. 31 and Saturday, Sept. 1.
But tbird is already reporting that the first day鈥檚 show, sponsored by the City of 91原创, is sold out.
As of press deadline, there were still spots available for the Saturday show, presented by tbird and the RCMP.
A bit of history
The ride dates back to the late 19th century, when the Royal Canadian Mounted Police truly were mounted.
These RCMP officers, on specially bred black horses, will perform a series of intricate manoeuvres on horseback, often while carrying lances.
Though different from the usual massive show jumping competitions held at tbird, the show park staff are excited and getting ready to host the unique Canadian event.
鈥淭here鈥檚 definitely a lot of coordination with the RCMP, who have been fantastic,鈥� said Kean.
Everything from site inspections to catering has to be lined up and ready before the big day, he said.
Planning for the exact ring that will be used will be partly driven by how many people buy tickets.
Right now, Tbird is planning for 1,500 or so people per show.
But, Kean said, if tickets go like hotcakes, they have the ability to expand.
The event can be moved to a different ring, and the stands can be rearranged to make room for hundreds more people.
Though Kean said he didn鈥檛 forsee a sold out situation, by Aug. 20, the Aug. 31 show was already sold out.
Anyone who wants to see the show should buy in advance online, Kean said.
The musical ride team will actually be on the site for almost a week, making tbird its base of operations from the Tuesday before the show until they pack up to leave the following Monday.
The City of 91原创, in presenting the Aug. 31 night, reduced ticket prices for its residents. Anyone from the City can received for $10 off. The usual ticket price for both nights is $15. Tickets can be purchased online at tbird.ca.
All proceeds from the Ride 鈥� on both nights 鈥� will go to the George and Dianne Tidball Legacy Foundation, which helps underprivileged youths and young riders around the world.
