There was plenty of police activity in Hay River over the weekend. Not for anything bad, though.
The RCMP's Musical Ride returned to the town for the first time since 2019 and put on a show for those in attendance at Diamond Jenness Field on Saturday and Sunday. It was part of a busy weekend in Hay River as Wild Rose Shows brought its travelling carnival to town on the same weekend.
Sgt. Phil Unger, detachment commander of Hay River RCMP, said it was a warm weekend, but very well-attended.
"There was a full circle of guests around the ring," he said.
The musical ride has been around since the mid-1870s, when riders were reportedly performing tricks and exercises in Fort Macleod, Alta. The RCMP believes that to be the first public performance of what would eventually evolve into the ride. The modern ride itself consists of up to 32 riders, who are all police officers. They and their horses perform intricate formations and drills set to music, lasting about 30 minutes.
Unger said the town did most of the planning in advance of the RCMP's arrival.
"The members from the Musical Ride will liaise with the communities they visit and the local detachment provides them with whatever is needed," he said. "All we were asked for was a couple of members to provide some traffic control while the temporary stables were moved to the field."
Something the musical ride does is highlight members who may have some connection to the communities they visit, he added, with two members who are part of the current ride having served in the NWT previously.
One of those was Const. Keelian Chicoisne, who Unger said was first posted to Hay River after graduating from the RCMP Depot Division, the training academy, in Regina.
"It was kind of full circle for him," said Unger. "It's always a highlight for the crowd because it provides a connection."
Having the musical ride in town was a big deal for Unger as he said it's both a great community event and a recruitment tool.
"I had a poster of the musical ride on my wall as a kid and perhaps that was an inspiration for me to join the RCMP," he said. "The ride shows people that there are plenty of avenues of employment with the RCMP and the ride is one option."
