Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 12/02) - There's more than one way to belong to Canada's horsey set.

Sure, you can be born to the equestrian class, but what's the satisfaction in knowing you're there as an accident of birth?

You can amass a personal fortune, but it's not without pitfalls. You might wind up loved by millions, but others might consider you a gauche Johnny-come-lately.

Then there's the ultimate equestrian gig.

You get there by your own hard work, the pay's all right, but the satisfaction of being the cream of the (riding) crop more than compensates for that.

You will be adored by millions world-wide.

Yellowknife's own Monique England is one of those rare individuals, securing a spot with the RCMP's famed musical ride team.

Proud parents Doug and Lynn Cooper are thrilled.

"We're really so proud of her," said Lynn Cooper, a public health nurse.

The Coopers came to Yellowknife in 1986. Monique attended Sir John Franklin High School. She also summered away her university days here before moving south to teach in Saskatchewan.

"Yellowknife still has my heart, definitely," she said.

Making the ride is no easy task. More than 800 RCMP members volunteer for the coveted spots. Only 45 are chosen for the basic course. England is one of 15 selected for level two, the intermediate equitation course in Rockliffe, a suburb of Ottawa.

A life-long lover of horses, the 31-year-old England had thought about participating in the ride, long before she joined the Mounties four years ago.

After signing on with the RCMP, "I thought, 'wait a minute, I might actually get to do this,'" she said.

On completion, England and colleagues will spend three years as the most visible goodwill ambassadors the RCMP has.

"I'm really looking forward to seeing the positive side of policing, and if a young person wants to talk to a police officer because of their horse, well I think that's just great," said England.

Lynn Cooper, one of England's two biggest fans, is also looking forward to seeing her daughter in action as one of Canada's ultimate equestrians.

"We're very definitely going to see her on the ride," she said.