For Brandon Watrich, life in the Cariboo has never really been about choosing just one thing.

He’s a heavy-duty mechanic. A business owner. A horseman. A ranch hand when needed. The kind of guy who can spend the day fixing trucks and the evening working horses before heading down to the lake with his family.

And honestly, that balance is exactly why he’s stayed in the Cariboo.

Born and raised in 100 Mile House, Brandon built his career working as a mechanic for more than 12 years. But alongside the mechanical work, horses were always part of his life too. Not just casually, either. Horses have long been a serious passion for both Brandon and his fiancée.

A few years ago, Brandon decided to take a break from mechanicing altogether and spend two years focusing more fully on horsemanship, training, and ranch work. Around the Cariboo, that kind of thing is not as unusual as it might sound elsewhere. Skills matter here, and people who know horses are always in demand.

Today, Brandon and his fiancée still train and ride regularly and are often hired out to help local ranches with cattle work, branding, sorting, and roundups. They compete in extreme cowboy races and ranch riding competitions, which showcase the athleticism, control, and working partnership between horse and rider. It is part sport, part lifestyle, and very much part of who they are.

The best part is they actually have the space to live that way.

Because the cost of living in the Cariboo still allows people like Brandon and his family to build something real. Together, they own a home on West Sheridan Lake with waterfront acreage, horses, room for their family, and access to the outdoors right outside the door. When work slows down for a moment, they can paddleboard on the lake, ride horses out the back gate, or simply enjoy being home.

That breathing room matters.

It also gave Brandon the confidence to take another leap.

After stepping away from mechanicing for two years, he came back to the trade with a fresh perspective and a new idea. He had seen how busy shops were across the region and how hard it could be for people to get vehicles serviced quickly. So instead of returning to a traditional shop environment, he bought a service truck and launched his own mobile mechanic business: Riske Ventures.

Like any new business, there were ups and downs at first. Starting something yourself always comes with a bit of uncertainty. But Brandon quickly discovered there was plenty of demand for someone willing to show up, work hard, and build strong relationships.

Right now, much of his work focuses on automotive and truck repairs, but the business continues to grow into commercial trucking and subcontracting work as his reputation spreads.

And in the Cariboo, reputation still means something.

People here remember good work. They remember honesty. They remember the people who answer the phone, help out when things go sideways, and stand behind what they do. Building a business in a smaller community means your name matters — and Brandon likes that.

Because for him, success is not just about getting ahead financially. It is about building a life where hard work and quality of life can actually exist together.

A place where you can own a home on a lake, keep horses in the pasture, build a business from scratch, raise a family, and still have time to get outside before the sun goes down.

Cariboo. It’s true.