Ritz

GARY REMPEL AND RITZ WORKING PICK-UP DUTIES AT THE CALGARY STAMPEDE.

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“I needed something solid to help wrangle, if needed. About half-way down the track, Ritz decided he didn’t want to be a pick-up horse in what was clearly a race. He opened up, ate ground and won it by a nose. I had no idea how fast he was!” Mitchell says.

Later that year, Rempel kindly agreed to let Mitchell’s employer buy Ritz and since then he’s been her goto horse for anything and everything.

“He’s as broke and honest as they come, will gallantly carry a child or beginner, but if I pull his cinch tight or try to hustle him I’d best have something important to do pronto – or he will buck!”

Ritz’s main job now is looking after the boss, which he does impeccably. He also packs guests on mountain rides and helps Mitchell start youngsters.

“He’s a great uncle, calm and confident but he takes no guff from the colts and will swiftly reprimand any bad behaviour. I can turn him loose in the round pen when I first step on a colt and he’ll help me out, he always knows exactly where to be. He’s a huge asset to our program and I feel incredibly fortunate to have him in my care.”

In addition to being a skijor mount, Ritz is a highly skilled pick-up horse, polo mount, jumper and sidesaddle companion. He has worked the

Calgary Stampede as a pick-up horse with Gary Rempel. He won the 2017 Guy Weadick Days sidesaddle race and the 2018 Skijordue Alpine Lounge Race with Mitchell aboard. He has been ridden on hunts, (jumping cross country courses) and did so on the television show, Heartland (Season 11, episode 11 “Somewhere In Between”) for the character “Lisa.” And, as if his talents weren’t plentiful enough – Ritz also won the Best Playing Pony award in he and Mitchell’s first polo tournament (Ritz’s eighth chukker in life,) at the Black Diamond Polo Club, Bill Leslie Memorial Tournament.