The storied Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s much-loved “Name the Foal” contest for children is back, giving young humans an opportunity to participate in the process of picking names for these gorgeous animals.
The contest, which began on Sunday, ends on April 26. Canadian children up to the age of 14 years can suggest names for the newborn horses. The only criterion is that all names submitted have to begin with the letter ‘A’. Around a dozen names will be chosen from among all entries.
The RCMP is known for breeding some of the finest black horses in Canada, and has been doing so since 1939.
Some day, when they grow up, some of these horses will be selected to be a part of the globally popular RCMP Musical Ride. According to the organization’s website, Musical Ride is a symbol of tradition, honour, and pride, and supports frontline police operations by building positive relationships, supporting recruiting efforts, and promoting the RCMP’s image in communities in Canada and worldwide. The very first Musical Ride performance was held way back in 1876.
There are a total of 32 riders in the Musical Ride, all police officers. During the event, music is played and the horses perform intricate formations and drills set for 30 minutes.
The RCMP Musical Ride Breeding Programme is one of Canada’s largest licensed Hanoverian breeders. After birth, the foals are housed at the Pakenham breeding farm in Ontario. Utmost care is taken to ensure that the young horses turn out to be healthy and well behaved. Only when they are fully developed and strong do the horses get to join the Musical Ride.
The results of the Name the Foal contest will be released in May or June after careful deliberations. The RCMP will announce the winners and winning names on its website and also through social media. Each winning kid will get ‘great’ prizes, the police force said.
Source: PR Newswire
