F or the Ketelsen family, it was a journey over many years from their original home in Germany to Quebec, then to Saskatchewan, and finally to their dream ranch in Rossburn. Ilse Ketelsen says they simply "found the place." And while they finally settled at home, their trails’ end is now a trail head. The only Hostelling International Canada partner in the Prairie region as of September, the cryptically monikered 9 Finger Ranch is the starting place for equine adventure in the Manitoba Escarpment. It’s a beautiful location surrounded by rolling hills and lakes on the south side of Riding Mountain National Park. As the only licensed horseback guides at the west end of RMNP, the Ketelsens are unique in the region. But just where the heck does the name "9 Finger Ranch" come from? "See, it does the trick!" Ketelsen says. "We got your attention." "We actually searched for a long time for the right name, something unique but with meaning. In the end it was our son, Ray, who came up with it to honour his two grandpas. They had both lost a finger during farm accidents." Ketelsen, who is the economic development officer for the RM of Rossburn, and her husband, Thomas, have a family of ranch hands that include their children Ray, Karina, Eva and Dominik, as well as a ‘passel’ of grandkids. The family has always been in agriculture, especially dairy farming. They settled in Rossburn in 2002 with a small herd of Black Angus cattle and their Tennessee Walking Horses. Ilse says Dominik calls them "the rocking chair of the horses." "Their fifth gait, the running walk, makes them a very comfortable long-distance trail horse," she says. Although the Ketelsens had kept horses for some 20 years, it took some time before they began offering trail rides to other folks, but they’ve developed a well-rounded program. "If our guests ride on the ranch, checking the cows with us, they can learn about agriculture and raising cattle and the lay of the land, or they can just enjoy the view. When my cowboys are showing them ‘their’ park, riders can decide to be rather quiet and hope to see bear, moose, elk or the elusive wolf or they
can ask as many questions as come to mind and our guides will add a few stories of their own adventures to it,” Ketelsen says. "We also added a day at the ranch, teaching guests how to prepare the horses and then heading off to check the fences and the cattle, with the day ending with a meal and cowboy coffee." The Ketelsens strive for personal service, tailoring adventures to each guest. "There are the ones that want to try riding at least once; there are nature lovers who enjoy the wide open space and the rolling hills at the ranch or in the park. There are small groups or families wanting to do things together, and often they have some roots in farming. There are newcomers to Canada who are amazed by the space, the animals and the nature ... and the cowboys, of course." While most visitors come from Canada, Ketelsen notes that because the family speaks German and French, their European guests like to stick around a little longer. And now that they’ve joined Hostelling International Canada, they are looking forward to hosting travellers who want to check out the wide range of activities and attractions in Rossburn and the surrounding area as well. With interest growing, the latest challenge has been providing a comfortable place to stay for extended visits. “Adding more accommodation options at the ranch is our new adventure. We secured two cabins which were set on their foundations at the ranch in August. The cabins each have a capacity of 10 beds. We continue to offer two rooms at our ranch house as well,” Ketelsen says. “The cabins also mean that we are now open to cater to groups for meetings, reunions, and more." And that means happy trails for everyone.
DAUPHIN & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ROBLIN & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ROSSBURN & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RUSSELL & DISTRICT CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SWAN VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Find out more online at www.9fingerranch.com or www.hihostels.ca. ■
13 MBiz | November 2014
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