From meat to the saddle: B.C. rancher trains yaks to carry riders

Jamie Kamps, a rancher from British Columbia, is raising Tibetan yaks primarily for meat production. However, she is exploring the potential for these animals to serve additional purposes, such as carrying riders or pulling sleighs. Kamps operates Black Yak Cattle Co. and currently has around 30 yaks near Salmon Arm, a number that represents a small fraction of the estimated 1,000 yaks in Canada.

While yaks have a history of being utilized for transportation and heavy labor in Central Asia, their use in this capacity in North America is relatively uncommon. Toro, one of Kamps' younger yaks, is being trained to potentially carry a rider by the time he reaches two years old. Kamps notes that the yaks' calm temperament and suitability for riding could make them more enjoyable and less stressful as companion animals compared to horses.

In the future, Kamps aims to expand her trained yak population for recreational uses such as packing, petting zoos, and other activities once the animals have matured, been adequately trained, and are deemed safe to interact with the public.