Mounties welcome royal “gift horse”
The Queen has given the Royal Canadian Mounted Police a lasting legacy of her visit in the form of ‘Golden Jubilee’, an Irish sports horse
While visiting Canada as part of her Golden Jubilee celebrations, the Queen presented the Royal Canadian Police Force (RCMP) with a black Irish sports horse called Golden Jubilee.
Accompanied by her husband, the Queen’s 10-day visit to Canada marked the last leg of her Golden Jubilee tour, which has seen her travel to every country in the Commonwealth.
The 16.2hh four-year-old mare was bred in Ireland and selected personally by the Queen herself.
Golden Jubilee was flown to Canada on 7 October and spent a month in quarantine before being officially handed over to the RCMP at their riding centre in Ottawa earlier this week.
A spokesperson from Buckingham Palace said: “It is hoped that in two years’ time Golden Jubilee will be ready to take part in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s musical ride, which the Queen watched while in Canada.”
The RCMP and the Queen share a historic bond, she became their honorary commissioner after her coronation in 1953.
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Over the past 50 years, the RCMP has presented the British monarch with three horses, the most famous being Burmese (pictured) in 1969, whom was a great favourite with the Queen, who regularly rode her on official parade duty.
Sergeant Major Stewart from the RCMP, said: “Golden Jubilee has behaved marvellously since she arrived and I am confident that she will be taking part in our musical ride by 2004.”
Read more about the Queen’s Golden Jubilee:
- Equine sculpture celebrates Golden Jubilee
- Celebrating the royal jubilee
- All the Queen’s Horses facts and figures
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