From the dusty rangelands near Kyle to the bright lights of the National Finals Rodeo, Gary Rempel’s legacy in the rodeo world spans more than four decades, and it all started on the Matador Ranch.
After 45 years in the arena, Rempel has officially hung up his spurs, retiring as one of the most decorated and respected pickup men in rodeo history. His career included nine appearances at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), 21 selections to pick up at the Canadian Finals Rodeo,a record, and countless small-town rodeos where he says the heart of rodeo truly lives.
“I always make sure people know that Kyle is my hometown,” said Rempel in a recent interview. “That’s where I grew up, on the Matador. It was a special place.”
Born Sept. 5, 1951 in Elrose, Sask., Rempel was raised on the Matador Ranch near Kyle, one of the largest ranches in Canada. Established in 1905, the Matador Land and Cattle Company stretched across six townships and was part of a larger holding that extended to Texas. The lease was taken over by the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture in 1923 to create the first government-supervised community pasture in western Canada. Gary’s father, John Rempel, began riding for the Matador in 1943 and managed it from 1962 until his retirement in 1984. It was there Gary fell in love with cowboying, the only life he ever wanted.
Following in his father’s footsteps, who picked up part-time for legendary stock contractor Jerry Meyers, Rempel’s career began with amateur rodeos across Saskatchewan. Rempel got his first shot in Hallonquist, Sask., filling in during a double-booked rodeo weekend.
One of his early highlights was picking up alongside his brother Wade at the Provincial Finals, a tradition they carried on for nearly two decades.
“It was a goal of mine to work the Canadian Finals with my brother,” said Rempel. “We got to do that three or four times. That meant a lot.”
In 1998, Rempel became just the second Canadian pickup man selected to the prestigious NFR. He went on to work the event nine times, voted in repeatedly by the very cowboys he was there to protect.
Over the years, Rempel earned multiple accolades, including the 2017 PRCA Pickup Man of the Year award and induction into multiple halls of fame, the Ellensburg Rodeo Hall of Fame (2013), Pendleton Round-Up Hall of Fame (2014), and the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame (2018).
One moment that brought national attention came in 2010, when a bull jumped into the crowd at the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton. Rempel quickly roped the animal, pulling it back into the arena before anyone was seriously hurt.
“It was exciting for a few minutes,” he said with trademark prairie understatement.
Rempel’s final rodeo was in Helena, Mont., earlier this summer. While he admits retirement is a big change, he’s looking forward to visiting rodeos as a fan, including the one back home in Kyle.
“It’ll be strange not to be hauling horses and getting ready,” he said. “But I’ll be in the beer garden this time, visiting, telling stories, and enjoying the weekend.”
He’s also eager to reconnect with communities that shaped him, noting that many small-town rodeos in Saskatchewan have invited him back.
“There’s just something special about those smaller rodeos,” said Rempel. “They’re more personal. They’re the ones that were always the most fun.”
Though Rempel spent the latter part of his career working in Montana and across the U.S., his roots in Saskatchewan remain deep — and he’s never missed a chance to remind people where he came from.
“I’ve got a lifetime of stories to tell,” he said in a farewell post online. “All the friendships we’ve made have made the miles and the rainy rodeos worthwhile.”
As Rempel eases into retirement, one thing is certain: the arena won’t be the same without him. He leaves the arena as the most decorated pickup man in rodeo history and a proud son of Saskatchewan.