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Orono Town Hall BOWMANViLLE LIBRARY 163 Church Street 1.1.05 Bowmanville; Ont L101P7 $1.UU GST Included Wednesday June 16, 2004 Serving Kenda/. Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle. Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 193_ GCTBF Military Tattoo RCMP Musical Ride This Friday, Orono will play host to one of the most popular Canadian symbols -the Mountie in a red coat and broad- brimmed Stetson hat. "It's taken years to get the RCMP Musical Ride to come to Orono, but Friday's event will be spectacular, and well worth the wait," according to Dave Climenhage of the Great Canadian Town Band Festival (GCTBF) Thirty-two horses and riders of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Musical Ride will take part in this year's Military Tattoo at the Orono Fairgrounds Friday evening. The Tattoo is part of Orono's annual Great Canadian Town Band Festival. "When the festival began five years ago we inquired about the Musical Ride and found out they only tour Ontario once every four years," stated Climenhage in a phone interview interview with the Orono Times on Monday evening. . "We continued to write and once we had established ourselves ourselves as an annual event, they penciled us in for 2004; the next time they were touring Ontario," said Climenhage The RCMP then go through a process of assessing potential hosts and narrow down their choices of well over 100 invitations, invitations, to about 20. "They came and inspected our venue this winter and approved it, and then left 27 pages of requirements," he said. Stabling and feed requirements for the horses are very specific. Five hundred pounds of triple cleaned oats are required, which has been donated by the Co-op and Bragg Feed, for the 36 (32 for the show and four spares) horses who will be arriving arriving Thursday and leaving on Saturday morning. "The hay had to be Timothy hay of the highest quality, which is being donated by a local farmer who wishes to remain anonymous," said Climenhage. The horse stalls had to be of a certain size, with lighting. The public will have the opportunity on Friday to meet the horses and their riders at the Fairgrounds from about 10 a.m. on. "Several schools will be bringing bus loads ol kids to participate in the RCMP's 'Say Neigh to Drugs' program," stated stated Climenhage. The Military Tattoo will begin at 8 o'clock with the Concert Band of Cobourg, The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marine Association, The Pipes & Drums of the Toronto Scottish Regiment, Toronto Signals Band, followed by the RCMP Musical Ride and the Grand Finale. The highlight of the Musical Ride is undoubtedly the "Charge" where riders lower their lances and launch into a full gallop. The performance concludes with a March Past, performed to . the RCMP's Regimental March where the Musical Ride traditionally ~ salutes the guest of honour Guest of honour at Friday's Military Tattoo will be Rob McConnell who will be headlining headlining Saturday's festival concerts. McConnell has received the Order of. Canada, won a Grammy Award,and is the best jazz band leader and arranger working in North America. He is honoured all over North America and Europe, according to Climenhage. Musical Ride History The North West Mounted Police force was fonned in 1873 to bring law and order to the new frontiers of Canada. Of necessity, the policeman developed developed outstanding riding skills. As time progressed, the Mounties entertained themselves themselves and spectators with skilled perfonuances of horse riding. The Mounted Police had a British military background, so it followed that their routines were traditional cavalry drill movements. These movements latel* formed the basis oi the Musical Ride. The first ever recorded Musical Ride was performed in Regina in 1887. Today's riders are officers who have performed at least two years of active police work before volunteering for duty with the Musical Ride. Most members volunteer with no rid ing experience and stay with the Musical Ride for three years. In keeping with tradition, the Musical Ride is performed 53 "ord Robinson would like to see Ciarington's Heritage Highway signs which disappeared disappeared about ten years ago along Highway 2 replaced. Farmhouse destroyed by fire Thirty-one firefighters responded to a house fire Sunday evening caused by unattended cooking in the kitchen. The farmhouse on Highway Highway 2 at the corner of Golf Course Road Newcastle was fully engulfed by the time fireghters arrived at 5 o'clock. Fire crews from Bovvman- villc, Newcastle, Orono and Courticc fought the blaze, which caused an estimated $150,000 worth of damage. While none of the residents residents were injured in the fire one fire fighter injured his hand. The last lire truck left the Residents of this Highway 2 farmhouse, which was gutted by fire last Sunday, escaped without Injury.