A trek from the past will enter the Weyburn area this next week with the RCMP March West coming into Torquay on Friday, May 28 and leaving the area from Pangman on Thursday, June 3.
The trek, which left from Emerson, Man., on May 8, is a re-enactment of the march of the Northwest Mounted Police in 1874, as they established posts in the western frontier to bring to heel the illegal trading in liquor and control the sometimes excessive behaviour.
This was the establishment of a national police force for which Canada has since become renowned for around the world, which led to the formation of this historic march.
Torquay will be holding a major "Muster Up" event Friday and Saturday, including a parade, roast beef supper, sunset ceremony, aboriginal dance and street dance.
The trek will arrive in Torquay between 4 and 6 p.m. on Friday, May 28, followed by a firemen's wiener roast and cowboy poetry in the evening. On Saturday, a free pancake breakfast will kick off an event-filled day from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m., followed by a parade at 10 a.m. which will feature at least 35 floats, bands, clowns and a bike contest.
The Bear Claw dance troupe will put on a show of native dancing at noon, and the March West Chorus will present a program entitled, History is Made of Heroes, starting at 1:30 p.m. An auction of commemorative items, including a limited edition print of the March West, will be held at 4, followed by a roast beef supper from 5-7 p.m. and the official muster of the Guard Mount Parade will be held between 6 and 7 p.m.
A sunset service, featuring members of the RCMP march, singing and a country hoedown featuring the Johner Brothers will wind up the day. The trek will leave Torquay on Sunday morning between 8 and 9 a.m., heading east.
The March West will be near Tribune on May 31, and will stay overnight at Brooking, near Radville, the evening of Tuesday, June 1. A free wiener roast will be held there from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
The ride will enter Pangman the following day, June 2, around 4 p.m., escorted in by the South Country Riders of the Pangman area. A community cowboy supper will take place from 5 to 7 p.m., followed by entertainment around the campfire. The ride leaves to the northwest from Parry the next day, and will end up in Avonlea by the weekend, where the RCMP Musical Ride will be performed on Saturday, June 5.
The reenactment marks the trek made by a force of 275 men which set forth from Fort Dufferin, Man., divided into six troops. A second trek by the A troop will be reenacted, going from Fort Carlton, north of Saskatoon, west to Fort Saskatchewan.
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