Mitch Zeller was born and raised on his family farm in Irvine, Alberta. In 2018, he and his wife, Blythe, took over the operation from his parents, running a cow-calf and bred heifer program. By 2020, they had expanded their focus to include a broodmare band with the goal of producing quality using horses. In addition to ranching, Mitch and Blythe have successfully operated a horse training business for the past 15 years.
Mitch’s passion for the cowboy way of life has been with him from the start. As a child, he studied his Slippery Moon calendars, idolizing the cowboys featured in them. That admiration eventually led him to work alongside some of those very cowboys at the Reesor Ranch, where his deep curiosity about horses and how to improve them pointed him toward Craig and Camille Reesor. The start they gave him and the opportunities they provided helped fuel his passion for horsemanship.
Through the Reesors, Mitch was introduced to Sid Cook, who helped him further explore the teachings of Tom Dorrance and Ray Hunt. Sid’s mentorship was invaluable, encouraging Mitch to seek out other horsemen with similar philosophies. In 2015, Mitch and Blythe attended their first Bryan Neubert clinic, an experience that ignited their eagerness to absorb the wealth of knowledge he had to offer.
A particularly meaningful moment in Mitch’s journey was being invited to The Legacy of Legends in 2018 to start colts in Joe Wolter’s pen. Since then, he has had the honour and privilege of spending the past three winters in Texas, learning firsthand from Joe and deepening his understanding of horsemanship.
These three horsemen—Sid Cook, Bryan Neubert, and Joe Wolter—have profoundly influenced Mitch, not only shaping him into a better horseman but also inspiring him to be a better person.
Mitch is honoured to be part of this year’s Heart of the Horse and looks forward to sharing his knowledge and experience at the event.
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