After losing his beloved horse Nikko, who helped him win his 2016 World Title, Tyson Durfey came back with Mitch, a smaller horse with an entirely more “business” attitude.
“This horse is all business all the time,” Durfey told Justin McKee when they caught up on the Durfey ranch in Brock Texas, and got to meet Mitch in person.
Durfey said although Nikko was faster, Mitch could stop harder, but the two had different types of stops.
Tyson’s go-to for the last two seasons, whom he first got on at the 2018 NFR following Nikko’s death in November of that year, Mitch sadly passed away on January 27 from a heart aneurysm at the age of 17. Mitch was buried next to Nikko on the Durfey ranch.
On Mitch, Durfey would go on to win the San Angelo Roping Fiesta and Odessa in 2019 and the ProRodeo Tour Finale in 2020. He also placed in seven rounds on him at the 2019 NFR.
Following Mitch’s passing, Tyson wrote on social media:
It pains me deeply to write this post. A couple of day ago I lost a horse that gave me 100% all the time. He filled the gap when Nikko passed and allowed me to chase my dream at the highest level.
.
He was an all business type of horse and He loved roping and craved it as much as me.
-
In the end he was being ridden when he had a heart aneurysm in my front pasture. They were walking back to the stall and he just laid down and went to heaven. He was taken way too soon as he had many good years yet to come.
-
You were an amazing horse and you gave to me more than I could ever give to you. Rest In Peace to Money Mitch. I will always be grateful for you.