Riders hit their musical stride

Life is a carousel for the members of the Millarville Musical Ride.

But rather than going in circles on hobby horses, the members of the ride were doing intricate patterns and steps on real horses to the delight of the hundreds of fans at the Priddis and Millarville Country Fair on Aug. 19.

“I thought we did great,” said Millarville Musical Ride choreographer Donna Buckland. “We were missing a few people, that made it harder, but it went well.”

The Millarville Musical Ride has been doing great things since it was started as a youth group in 1999. That Millarville contingent went on to win a silver medal at the Calgary Stampede, losing to a team from Washington.

Although it hasn’t competed since 2000, it has still won a parade of ribbons.

“We do a lot of parades,” Buckland said. “In 2015 and 2016 every parade that we did we got first. We have been in the Calgary Stampede for four years and in two of those we got first.”

Buckland, who received a Canada 150 Award in June, started getting involved in the ride when her daughter, Jeanette Wilkie, joined in 1999.

“Jeanette was quite involved with the musical ride and then rode for the Calgary Stampede Show Riders,” Buckland said.

Jeanette went on to become Miss Rodeo Okotoks.

Buckland is the one who comes up with the manoeuvres that thrilled the crowd.

Those patterns include the snake, crack the whip and an audience favourite, the pinwheel.

The pinwheel has half the riders facing one way and the other the other way. They form a straight line and then circle like a hand on a clock.

“It is difficult — you have to stay stirrup to stirrup and the outside people have to go faster,” Buckland said. “Everyone has to go at a different speed.”

Another difficult move is the Shanghai, in which the horses cross paths — not exactly an equine favourite.

“Fortunately, we have a very talented group of horses this year,” Buckland said. “We have had Arabians, we have ponies, thoroughbreds and that one there is part Percheron, all kinds of horses.”

Barb Wright was on the outside in the pinwheel on Aug. 19, which was perfect for her horse Chip. He is so fast his musical favourite might be Orange Blossom Special.

“He likes the pinwheel because he likes to run,” Wright said. “A couple of years ago I wouldn’t have put him there because he wouldn’t slow down. Now he listens.”

Wright and Chip have become better at the musical ride over the years.

“He learned a lot and I learned a lot over the years,” said the 65-year-old Wright. “It’s time on the horse and you connect… Plus there are really good riders here who are always willing to help. It’s made a big difference.”

Chip loves the musical steps.

“I get the trailer and he just comes, because he knows we are going to the musical ride,” Wright said.

Wright is a key member to the ride. She helps design and make the chaps and the intricate designs on some of the saddle equipment.

Jadyn Brown is the youngest rider in the group at 12 and she joined despite just starting to learn to ride.

“It’s been fun — just being around the horses,” said Brown, a student at St. John Paul II Collegiate. “My horse T.J. is doing really good.”

So is she.

“The people here are helping me a lot,” she said.

Brown was convinced to join the musical ride by her Grandma, Christine Tessier.

“I think it is fantastic she is here because we need the young people in the group,” said Tessier, who has been with the club for eight years.

“I love the technical aspect of the sport and how we all work together to get better.”

For information about the musical ride go to the group’s Facebook page @millarvillemusicalride.