The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Musical Ride will perform three shows at the 2024 Manitoba Stampede and Exhibition in Morris, organizers announced last week.
“The RCMP is a staple of Canadian western culture,” says Brian Wiebe, director of the Valley Agricultural Society (VAS). “We applied in the late fall of 2023 and received acceptance in November. We still had some work to do before we could make this announcement.”
The Musical Ride features a troop of 32 riders, all of whom are police officers. Riders and horses perform intricate formations and drills set to music. The show is a family event that brings communities together to help raise money for local charities and non-profits.
“The RCMP has criteria we needed to meet in order to host the ride,“ notes Wiebe. “Seating capacity, accessibility, horse feed and bedding, even the size of each horses stall had to be addressed before we could sign a contract.
“Some of our members were required to take a training session before we could get the final approval.”
Infrastructure to host the event provides the most challenges, suggests Wiebe. The exhibition grandstands and grounds were developed in 1963. Constant are the new builds, upgrades, and renovations. Being a not-for-profit makes partnerships with sponsors very important, Wiebe notes.
“We appreciate and value our sponsors,” he says. “It is with their support and our dedicated team of volunteers that we can host such events.”
Sharing some of the planning for the 2024 Stampede, Wiebe confirmed the campgrounds will once again be open for rental.
There are plans to expand the Gathering of Nations event, the full midway will be set up, and the exotic reptile exhibit—a first for last year—will return.
Wiebe also alluded to something special under the heading of country music for the main stage entertainment, though details are not yet ready to be made public.
The July 19-21 schedule is going to be a full one.
“People really enjoyed the mounted shooting competition last year,” Wiebe notes. “Those activities will return, along with a farm core event involving Clydesdale horses.
“Additional seating is something we are looking at,” he says. “Last year we had to close the ticket booth because we had reached maximum capacity. We have concern for the crowds and are working on solutions. The entire board of directors and office team are engaged to make this year a bigger success than last year’s.”
The ag society also has its Rumble in the Valley, Manitoba’s largest truck and tractor pull, coming up June 7-8. They’ve run the event since 2017.
“There are more competitors this year,” Wiebe says. “Teams from Ontario have contacted us asking to join.”
You can stay on top of all VAS events online at valleyag.ca.
