PRORODEO Sports News - September 5, 2025

GARY REMPEL PICKUP MAN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT AFTER NEARLY 50 YEARS

By Zach Alvira

F or nearly five decades, Gary Rempel has been responsible for ensuring the safety of roughstock athletes and the horses and bulls they ride in PRORODEO competitions. He excelled at one of ro deo's most important jobs. But now, after an illustri ous career that includes nine trips to the Wran gler National Finals Ro deo as a pickup man and the 2017 PRCA Pickup Man of the Year honor, Rempel announced his retirement. "I've been slowly work ing toward it," Rempel told the PRORODEO Sports News. "I made my mind up a couple years ago and told Cal gary (Stampede) it would be my last. I wanted to slow down, and C5 Rodeo offered me a job. I said I'd give them two years."

Rempel's retirement tour came to an end in Helena, Mont., at the Last Chance Stampede in late July. He was honored by the Last Chance committee with a belt buckle and engraved knife.

Longtime pickup man Gary Rempel has called it a career. PRCA photo by Billie Jean Duff

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