RCMP Musical Ride to honour 99-year-old LPS veteran

A 99-year-old Lethbridge Police Service veteran is set to receive a very special honour on July 12th in Fort Macleod.

Retired Superintendent with the LPS, Glen Michelson, has been invited to take part in the RCMP’s 150th anniversary Musical Ride.

The event will feature a large group of riders and their horses which perform intricate formations and drills set to music.

During the celebration, the riders will salute Michelson.

He says he is excited to be able to join in on the festivities and he reflected on his own personal experiences with the Musical Ride in the past.

“We trained with everything on it. We trained for the musical ride. We trained with those big lances. We tried- we trained with rifles where you had to put the rifle in the bucket and everything and draw it out. And all those movements is on command by the commander of the troop. And I enjoyed the musical ride. And when I heard it was coming to Fort Macleod again, why, I was really thrilled to be part of it.”

Michelson served in the RCMP from 1947 to 1950. After that he joined the Lethbridge Police Service and rose to the rank of Superintendent before retiring back in 1984.

Sgt. Dave Rook will also be taking part in the Musical Ride and has been selected as the second guest of honour.

Staff from the Fort Museum told us he was instrumental in bringing the NWMP Musical Ride to the museum.