Twice daily performances from Mounties at this year’s Devon County Show, Exeter

THE Royal Canadian Mounted Police will be at this year’s Devon County Show.

The Mounties last appeared in Devon 12 years ago and making a return visit will be Hector, a Hanoverian horse, who at 22 is the oldest in their team.

They will perform their popular musical ride twice a day in the Mole Valley Farmers main arena at the county show, which is on at Westpoint, Exeter, from May 17-`19.

The Mounties will also be on hand to meet visitors between performances in their stables area, by the show office.

Show secretary. Ollie Allen, said: “This is a real coup for the county show. Devon is the only place the Mounties will visit in the UK, apart from taking part in HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Pageant at Windsor Horse Show, the weekend before.”

Officer in charge of the musical ride, Superintendent Marty Chesser, is looking forward to returning to Devon and said: “The hospitality in Devon is just so amazing, last time we were here we felt we were treated like royalty.”

Some 32 riders and horses perform the musical ride, along with the officer in charge. The performance consists of the execution of a variety of intricate figures and cavalry drill, choreographed to music.

“This demands utmost control, timing and coordination and these movements are formed by individual horses and riders, in twos, fours and eights at the trot and at the canter,” said Marty.

“Months of training, practice and many miles around the riding school make horse and rider one.”

As well as its grand livestock parade, the show has entertainment in six arenas and rings, plenty to see and take in for keen gardeners and flower arrangers, handicrafters and dog lovers.

There is also top class show-jumping, scurry driving, axe racing, sheep racing, vintage tractors and steam engines, classic cars and motorcycles, a metal work feature and shoeing forge, pigeons, rabbits, guinea pigs and poultry.

More details at 01392 353700.