It will be a celebration of all things equestrian when the RCMP Musical Ride comes to the region on Saturday.
Two shows on Saturday, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., will be held at the South Okanagan Events Centre in Penticton.
In addition to the Musical Ride, Hearts of the West, a family of trick riders from Alberta, will also perform.
An RCMP dog demonstration will also be included, as will a demonstration of Clydesdales by Harry and Eleanor Brown of Summerland.
“It’s a whole show; it’s not just the RCMP Musical Ride,” said Gwen Shaw of the Summerland Rodeo Grounds Equine Development Committee, the organization sponsoring the event.
The showpiece of the evening will be the RCMP Musical Ride, which has toured across Canada and around the world.
The Musical Ride features 32 horses and riders demonstrating a variety of horse skills, set to music. It was started in 1887 and has performed for the public since 1901.
“It brings out the Canadian in you,” Shaw said of the ride.
The Equine Development Committee is working to raise money for improvements to the rodeo grounds.
The grounds are owned by the municipality and maintained by the municipal parks and recreation department.
Shaw said the land was a gift from a member of the Summerland Trail Riders.
The Equine Development Committee would like to have an indoor covered arena at the rodeo grounds as well as improvements and maintenance to the existing facilities.
Shaw said the public is invited to offer suggestions about the improvements which are most needed for the rodeo grounds.
“This is the community’s rodeo grounds,” she said. “What do they want to see happen with it?”