Conrad, Iowa (February 2nd, 2012)— Ritchie Industries, manufacturers of durable, dependable automatic waterers, has announced it will become a sponsor of the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA).
The Masters of Foxhounds Association of America was formed in 1907 and is the governing body of organized fox, coyote, other acceptable legal quarry and drag hunting in the United States and Canada. “We’re excited to have Ritchie on board as our first MFHA sponsor. We’re thrilled with their support,” says Lt. Col. Dennis Foster, executive director for MFHA.
Ritchie Industries manufactures 11 families of products representing 37 products and respective accessories. Their horse waterers are designed with simplicity and a horse’s safety in mind. Four product families are ideal for equine as well as livestock use. They include the new EcoFount, the OmniFount, the Thrifty King and the WaterMatic families. The Stall Fount series of waterers are wall-mounted 304 stainless steel waterers.
Since 1921, Ritchie has manufactured waterers for many species of livestock, including beef, dairy, equine, swine, sheep and goats. The distinct Ritchie design has been the standard bearer of quality. Ritchie fountains continue to serve all sizes of operations and the livestock industry with equipment designed to provide years of trouble-free use. For the name of the Ritchie distributor in your area, please call 800-747-0222 or visit www.ritchiefount.com.
We received the nicest email and wanted to share it with you.
“I am not sure who to contact but I wanted to tell someone in your company how absolutely thrilled I am with your Ecofount 1. I just recently purchased this model from a local dealer after much research into automatic waterers. You see, about 8 years ago I purchased a Nelson Water product and from day one I had nothing but trouble. I have replaced the inside of the unit several times and from day one my horses refused to drink from it. It took weeks to get them close enough to attempt to take a drink. I would come home from work to find the unit had not shut off and water flowed for hours and flooded the pasture or during the summer would find the water was not working and my horses had been without water for hours in the heat and were dehydrated. Plus it was very expensive to heat during the winter months. The Nelson people were not anxious to offer suggestions and insisted they never had anyone with the problems I had over all the years. Most of the time they refused to even take my calls.
I had gone to a Clinton Anderson Clinic at his farm when he was in Belle Center, OH and I noticed your waterers everywhere. My horse was in a stall with one of your units and drank out of it very willingly. That was my first look at your products. I watch his TV show every week and see your commercials and was very impressed. When I had finally had enough with the Nelson water product I started looking thru the market for a replacement that might work for me. I always came back to your website and I decided to talk to several of your people at Trade Shows and on the phone before I was convinced to give you guys a try. I called customer service and told the person I talked to the issues I had with the Nelson and my situation with living in Michigan with the cold winters and hot summers. She suggested the ecofount1 and although afraid of purchasing another type of unit would only mean more problems and frustrations, I took a chance. Since the water line was already in and the cement pad was already there, we only had to make a few modifications. I was so thrilled when immediately after letting my horses in where the unit was they came right up to it and took a nice long drink from it. My horse actually loves to stand over the unit and play with the thermal cap. They are drinking much more water now than they ever did with the Nelson or the buckets I had to leave out in the pasture because the Nelson unit would always fail. One of the horses loves to scrap his teeth on the top of the unit and it only has a few marks on it and has held up extremely well to his abuse. I still worry and check it daily from habit and have not had one issue with your unit. I am so very happy that my horses now have access to fresh water all the time they are in there pasture.
I wonder now why it took so long for me to decide to try a different company. Your products are wonderful and your people are friendly and very helpful. I am telling my story to everyone I know. Thank you for all the care you put into making this product. ” ~Diana
This is an old Ritchie Waterer that they are using for their cattle.
Ritchie has been a long time supporter of Quakerdale, a not for profit organization that provide a safe environment for hope and healing to children and also doubles as a family setting learning environment called the Promise Academy which produces NCAA level basketball players. For years, Quakerdale has had an equine program and most recently have started a sustainable agriculture program. This program that not only will supply food for the students and staff but teach new skills and responsibilities to the kids and possibly offer them job skills.
I was incredibly excited to visit the facility based just south of Eldora, Iowa. To have to opportunity to see the evolution of their new program was an something I couldn’t pass up. I arrived for my tour and was greeted by Lalaina, a super sweet, incredibly focused young lady that I have had the pleasure of knowing for well over a year. She was kind enough to take time out of her day to show me around their 600 acre farm. We started in the garden where they had herbs and flowers in raised beds. Of course it is September and this is their first year so things were looking as if they had the fall. You know that time where you just allow things to go since you know it is the end of the season and the plants don’t look as lush and beautiful as they do at the beginning of the growing season. A little further off was where they had pole beans, tomatoes, peppers, tomatillos and maybe some other veggies that I failed to note. This area will also grow with time.
At this point, they moved me on to what will one day be an outdoor and indoor Aquaponics area. Aquaponics is a combination of fish raising and Hydroponics. The system filters water filled with the fish biproducts through a pump which enters one side of a bed full of pea rock. This pea rock is where the seeds are planted which of course eventually grows, using the fertilizer of the fish as nutrients. This system will allow the facility to provide fresh produce and as the fish mature, fresh fish to the students cutting down on on Quakerdale’s food costs.
One of the tables located in the indoor Aquaponics area
Quakerdale also has cattle that they are currently trying to breed. Eventually this will provide their meat. As you can see these two have an old Ritchie that keeps plugging away to provide them with fresh water.
Quakerdale has 6 locations a second of which is just south of Marshalltown, Iowa. This location is the place that the Quakerdale Equine Therapy program takes place. Quakerdale’s Equine Therapy program is a preventive and educational service where humans, horses, and hearts are reigned together to bring emotional, mental, spiritual, physical and social growth. Of course this location also has several Ritchie that hydrate the horses. I will visit this location this fall to highlight their program.
I am looking forward to seeing how this project progresses and evolves. Quakerdale operates on donations. If you would like to learn more about their organization, please follow the links below.
Being in business for 90 years has allowed us to hear and understand what customers and other watering companies are saying about automatic waterers. Below is a collection of the most popular automatic waterer myths and truths of 2011.
Myth – Electric heated waterers are unsafe and can cause your animal harm.
Truth – Electricity and automatic waterers have been combined much longer than any unheated unit has been on the market. With modern regulations, each waterer put on the market that is CE, UL, CSA rated must meet a very high standard of safety. Installing the waterer to the manufactures recommendations, including installing a ground rod under the unit, will help increase the safety of the unit and eliminate the chances of stray voltage carrying over to the unit. Electric heated waterers have been and continue to be the most popular choice among automatic waterer owners especially in areas that have severe winters. Thousands of these waterers are sold every year with no incidents.
Myth – Electrically heated units are expensive to run during the winter
Truth – With modern day technology, insulated automatic waterers can run throughout the winter for pennies a day. They are fully insulated and efficient at the same time giving you the peace of mind that your waterers are open on the coldest days. The newest combination plastic/steel trough waterers will run in the most severe climates for under $20 for the entire season
Myth – If a large animal, cattle or horse for instance, kicks an automatic waterer that features a float and valve system, the valve will stick causing it to stay open and flood the area around it.
Truth – This is completely false. The float and valve system is the most popular among automatic waterers. This system is safely housed inside the automatic waterer protecting it from the impact that kicking and rubbing may cause. The float and valve system was developed and patented in 1921 which set the standard of waterering from that point on. This system could not have sustained 90 years of top market performance if it failed each time an animal kicked the unit.
Myth – Paddle type, energy free automatic waterers do not freeze.
Truth -The design of these units allows water to drain as and after the animals drink. However, if any debris/feed etc gets into the bowl, it will plug the hole where the water drains out. This will cause it to freeze and/or over run.
When doing research for an automatic waterer be sure to consider what will work best for you and what has proven to have continued reliability. Ritchie Industries has been providing reliable and durable automatic waterers for 90 years. For more information on Ritchie Waterers, please visit http://www.RitchieFount.com.
Walkabout Tour Feature Sponsor Ritchie Industries Matches Fundraiser Dollar for Dollar to Benefit Hope Rides
Stephenville, Texas – Hope Rides raised $8,500 to benefit their equine assisted therapy program thanks to the generosity of Clinton Anderson and Ritchie Industries at the St. Paul, Minnesota Walkabout Tour stop.
Each Walkabout Tour hosts a Ritchie Ball Charity Toss – an event presented by tour feature sponsor Ritchie Industries to help raise funds for a nonprofit organization. On the weekend of June 4-5, spectators purchased tennis balls from Hope Rides for $5, and on Sunday afternoon, tossed them into the arena for a chance to win Downunder Horsemanship product. First place received Clinton’s entire instructional DVD collection valued at over $3,800 while second place won a mecate set that retails for $252, and third place was given the uniquely designed Downunder Horsemanship halter and lead rope marketed at $90.
At the beginning of the weekend, Leon Yantis, Ritchie Industries CEO, announced he’d match the funds Hope Rides raised dollar for dollar and would throw in an extra $500 if the organization could sell all 800 tennis balls. Hope Rides rose to the challenge and by the end of the weekend earned $8,500 for their organization.
Hope Rides provides a safe environment for children and their families to find personal growth by connecting to horses. The nonprofit organization was founded in 2006, and its passion for helping others was evident throughout the weekend to Ritchie Industries and Clinton, which is why Leon decided to help the organization raise as much money as possible for its cause.
“Leon’s generosity this weekend is a prime example of why Downunder Horsemanship is proud of its partnership with Ritchie Industries; we’re both committed to bettering the horse and human relationship. Tours are an inspiring weekend full of education and entertainment and the Ritchie Ball Charity Toss brings the entire audience together to raise funds for a great cause,” Clinton explained.
The next Clinton Anderson Walkabout Tour will be held July 16-17 at the ShoWare Center in Seattle, Washington.
This information was put together by our distributor Ferguson Enterprises of Wisconsin, a state very familiar with extreme winters. For optimum performance Ferguson provided tips that have worked for their cold weather climate.
All waterlines should be buried one foot below your regional average frost line. If installing beneath a driveway or well traveled path, this should be extended further down and protected with rigid insulation directly on top of the waterline as frost will be pushed deeper during the winter months from the travel above.
Waterlines should be 160 psi HDPE or greater at a minimum of 3/4 inch for a unti with a 1/2 inch valve.
Waterlines for units with 3/4 inch valves should be no smaller than 1 inch also of 160 psi or greater HDPE
Stainless steel hose clamps and galvanized fitting are recommended at all waterline connections other than the final rubber hose length which utilizes plastic barbed fittings.
PEX works well for the final run up the thermal tubes as it is durable in the event of a frozen condition and can be purchased in straight lengths.
A ball valve should be installed a teach waterer for stopping the flow of water and servicing purposes.
After installation of water lines is complete the water should be turned on and allowed to run for at least a minute to make sure all foreign material in the line can be blown out prior to hooking the waterline up to the valve.
Thank you Jeremy at Ferguson Enterprises 800-950-4882 for providing this very helpful information.
This morning, we were greeted with an incredible email from a person who was assisting with the tornado cleanup efforts in Oklahoma. During the month of May, the Camulet, OK area suffered a direct hit and many lost everything. While our hearts go out to all of those who have faced such devastating loss, this incredible story of how the Ritchies handled the massive tornado had to be shared.
”I have recently come from Calumet, OK , Where tornadoes wiped the family property completely out. I saw some of the most devastating images I have ever witnessed. Most importantly the family is well and untouched,Thank the good Lord. The farm was a complete loss, close to 100 head of sheep are missing or dead, and there house was leveled. Needless to say it was traumatic and devastating. Why am I telling you this, I am wanting to let you know that Clay had three barns, the barns have Ritchie waters with warmers, and in all thedestruction, the waters were the only things that made it. I think it is a true testament to your product. (even the lids remained ona few of the waters). I started taking pictures of the sights and I realized there were little yellow spots all over the farm. I just want you to know that your product is amazing and strong enough to with stand an EF5 tornado… manyother products did not and might be found in the next county or state. We all go through tough situations, but we have to find the humor in it somewhere, so thanks for making us smile when we looked out there across that farm and saw the might little yellow water that held tight for dear life. We have many on our own farm also and love them, hope seeing these pictures makes Ritchie smile the way we all did. Thank you for a great product you can stand behind, and be proud of.
We recently upgraded our horseshoe type heater, part number 14150 (found here) that you will find in some of our smaller units. The coated heater is a little thicker than our older models. Although the heater is relatively the same size, a slight adjustment with the bracket is needed when replacing an older heater.
We have had quite a few phone calls on how exactly to do this. Our engineers have put together an instruction sheet to highlight how this is done.
The instruction sheet can be found here http://www.ritchiefount.com/pdf/17984.pdf.
As always, we are very happy to help if you have any questions.
Did you know the Ritchie WaterMaster 1200 holds only 60 gallons of water in comparison to the competitors 110 gallons?
The benefits of this to you are:
1. There is fresher water available for your dairy cattle, the longer water stands in a trough the more apt it is to become stagnant and have higher levels of algae and bacterial growth. With only 60 gallons in the trough at a time, the water turnover is more frequent. Considering 80-90% of the end product you produce is water, don’t you agree it should be a higher quality of water they are consuming?
2. Heating water costs money. Should you be required to heat your waterers during the winter months, you will be heating half as much volume of water with our units as you would with our competitors. Depending on the weather conditions experienced (extreme cold winter) this additional cost can add up quite rapidly.
3. Less water also means less water waste. When cleaning the WaterMaster 1200, you will be putting less water into your manure system, reducing waste costs later on (manure handling).
For example, if you have 20 Watermaster 1200’s and you clean them twice a month, you will only be adding 28,800 gallons of water to your manure storage per year. If you have our competitors unit and clean at the same frequency you will be adding 52,800 gallons per year. Multiply that by your cost per gallon to transport and spread your manure, you will see the amount of money you can save by purchasing a Ritchie versus the competition.
4. Ritchie waterers also have a ten year limited warranty. Poly products are protected against manufacturer defect for five full years, than prorated for the five years. That is five years longer than any other manufacturer in the industry.
Jeremy Tritten is the Ritchie Industries Accounts Manager for Ritchie distributor Ferguson Enterprises. Ferguson Enterprises is the Ritchie Distributor for Wisconsin, W. UP Michigan, and the majority of Illinois. Jeremy and other Ferguson representives can be reached by calling 800-950-4882, by visiting http://www.ferguson-ritchiefounts.com. You can also connect with Ferguson Enterprises by visiting their Facebook page.
Very rarely do we ever offer a rebate on our automatic waterers. For the month of May 2011 however, three of our waterer families are eligible for a $30 rebate. Purchase an EcoFount, OmniFount or Thrifty King unit by the end of May, complete the rebate form located here.
For additional savings some of the units included in our rebate special qualify under rebate programs of select energy providers. Please visit our Ways to Save page to see if your company is listed.
Again this is a rare opportunity to receive a discount. Take advantage of this offer while you can. As always if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime.
Thanks to our distributor Ferguson Enterprises, we have a tip that will help you with your installation.
At times we have concerns from customers who notice a drip in their valve with their new installation. The majority of the time, this is caused by a small piece of debris that lodged itself in the valve, causing it to stay open. The Ritchie valves can handle a reasonable amount of debris, however small pebbles such as the one shown in the image below, are often the culprit in the malfunctioning valve. The small pebbles, which are too large for the valve orifice, fall in the water line during installation and once the waterer is installed, lodge themselves in the valve.
A simple way to remedy this issue is to blow out the waterlines before you connect the waterer to the main line as shown in the image below. This simple step can ensure that all debris in the line is removed prior to your complete installation and save you a headache later on.
Today I came across an article from Drovers called “Extreme weather dominates Central Plains”. Click here for the article.Flooding in the north and drought in the south. This reminded me of a question that we often receive at shows that we attend in the south where the benefits of a heated waterer generally are not needed. “Why would I need your waterer if I can just fill up a stock tank?”
This is a very valid question. My response…low water waste, especially if you live in a drought affected area. Over the past several years, it seems as if drought has been a continuous concern in the south. Dumping 50-100 gallons of water to clean a stock tank can make one stop and think about wasting all of that water during the dry season.
Ritchie carries close to 40 units, while some are quite large, often times, the smaller units will satisfy the needs of your animals as they refill as the animals are drinking. The water capacity in these troughs, 2-6.5 gallons of water, is all you will be removing when cleaning the tank. Another benefit of the low capacity automatic waterers is that the incoming water is fresh and cool, instead of stagnant.
To go a step further, a covered waterer will help reduce the amount of water taken due to evaporation. We carry two covered units, the heated EcoFount series and the heat optional Thrifty King series.
So, if you live in an area that has been dealing with drought, the automatic waterer may benefit you, besides saving you time in having to refill your stock tank, much more than previously thought.
We have the pleasure are proud to present our 2011 Full Line brochure featuring cover artist Brenda Campbell of Irricana, Alberta, Canada.
Brenda’s desire to be an artist began as a young girl. She pursued her dream and graduated from the Alberta College of Art in 1982. Although born and raised in the city, Brenda’s heart has always been in the country where she chose to make her home. It is there that she draws much of her energy and inspiration, transforming them into paintings or sketches filled with love, laughter and memories of days long since past. While her paintings invite us to relive these fond memories, we can also imagine ourselves in the midst of the heartwarming or humorous situations captured in her watercolours (where we may even get a glimpse of one of the notorious mice that are usually found hiding in her work). Brenda has also created numerous pencil drawings reproduced as limited edition prints. These drawings give hints of the country life of which she has grown so fond. Brenda’s original works and limited editions can be found in collections throughout Canada, the United States and overseas.
The ebay auction to raise money for NARHA is going strong. However as of today, Vetericyn has generously added to the auction to help raise more money. Included in each auction is a year’s supply of Wound & Infection Treatment, valued at $200.
There are only 4 more days left to bid on one of two shirts that were worn by Clinton Anderson during his Walkabout Tours, 5 copies of Downunder Horsemanship on Fox Sports Network and a years supply of Vetericyn. For more information visit our fundraiser page
Fourteen-year-old Zoey has been participating in therapeutic riding for the past twelve years. Born without 50% of her brain stem and 95% of her cerebellum; Zoey’s prognosis was that she would never walk, talk or feed herself. Zoey’s mother enrolled her at age two in a local therapeutic riding program. Zoey, who couldn’t even hold up her head, progressed spectacularly, and has gone from riding with a horse leader and side-walker to riding completely independently at the walk and trot. Zoey now asks boundless questions about riding and stays late after class to groom and feed her horse. She has made unimaginable progress.
Each year, more than 40,000 individuals of all ages benefit from the Equine Assisted Activities and Therapies (EAAT) offered at NARHA member centers throughout the United States and abroad. They are men, women and children challenged with brain injuries, multiple sclerosis, autism, paralysis, strokes, and a multitude of other challenges. Some are in substance abuse, at-risk youth or recovery programs. Others are living with anxiety, developmental delays, Down syndrome and spinal cord injuries.
You can help this fantastic organization. Clinton Anderson of Downunder Horsemanship has donated two shirts that he has worn during his Downunder Horsemanship Walkabout Tours to be auctioned off. All proceeds from the auction will be donated to NARHA. Now you can own an autographed shirt and help NARHA at the same time. To see the auction, visit our ebay page
Don’t miss your chance to own one of two shirts worn by Clinton Anderson during one of his Downunder Horsemanship Walkabout Tours. The bidding has begun on the shirts listed below. All proceeds will go to NARHA, North American Riding for the Handicapped Association.
Ritchie Industries to Auction Clinton Anderson Autographed Shirts
Proceeds Benefit NARHA (North American Riding for the Handicapped Association)
Conrad, Iowa (March 18, 2011)—Clinton Anderson of Downunder Horsemanship, is literally giving the shirt off his back for charity. And in this case, he’s giving two shirts. Ritchie Industries of Conrad, Iowa, has teamed with Clinton for this exciting opportunity. Starting the week of March 21, two shirts autographed by Clinton, will be auctioned at Ritchie’s eBay store. All proceeds will benefit North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA).
Two shirts will be available for bidding during the weeklong auction. All bidding will end Monday, March 28. Clinton wore the blue chambray and pink cotton shirts during his current Walkabout Tour. The long-sleeved, button-down shirts are made by Cinch and carry the embroidered Walkabout Tour logo as well as Clinton’s autograph.
The high bidders of each shirt will also receive DVDs of the first five episodes of Downunder Horsemanship’s nationally syndicated television show as seen on Fox Sports Network.
NARHA was founded in 1969 as the North American Riding for the Handicapped Association. It promotes safe and effective therapeutic horsemanship. The organization now touches lives across the world. Their 800 member centers include more than 6,300 individual members who help and support more than 42,000 men, women and children with special needs. They provide assistance through a variety of equine-assisted activities and therapy programs.
Clinton’s Walkabout Tour takes place throughout the year across the United States. Ritchie Industries is the Tour Feature Sponsor. Seven remaining stops await fans in seven states from coast to coast. Attendees learn how the man behind the Method uses his techniques every single day to develop respectful and fun horses. In addition, Clinton can now be seen on Fox Sports Network and RFD-TV.
Since 1921, Ritchie has manufactured durable, dependable automatic fountains for many species of livestock, including beef, dairy, equine, swine, sheep and goats. The distinct Ritchie design has been the standard bearer of quality. Ritchie fountains continue to serve all sizes of operations with equipment designed to provide years of trouble-free use. For the name of the Ritchie distributor in your area, please call 800-747-0222 or visit www.ritchiefount.com.
Will you be attending the Downunder Horsemanship Walkabout Tour in Lexington, VA March 26-27, 2011? Enter for your chance to win an EcoFount 1 ideal for small herds and horses. The entry box will be located at the Ritchie booth next to Clinton Anderson’s autograph area. Winner will be announced during the tour event.
Features of the EcoFount 1
*Provides excellent overall heat coverage
*Fully insulated casing keeps water cooler in the summer, warmer in the winter
*Extremely Energy efficient
*Features an adjustable thermostat
*Flip top cover provides easy access to stainless steel trough, drain plug, float and valve
*Large side access panel provides ample room for maintenance
*Waters 1-30 head
*Limited 10 year warranty
For more information on this premium line of automatic waterers, please visit the EcoFount page on our website.
You can save on Ritchie purchases at the show as well. If you are interested in purchasing a Ritchie automatic waterer while attending the tour, be sure to print your
coupon for an extra 5% off.
We are looking forward to seeing you there.
The warm weather is upon us…so we hope. Stationed in Iowa, we know that one day we can enjoy 70 degree temperatures and tee shirts and shorts start to make an appearance. The very next day we can have a blizzard warning.
Without a doubt, the warmer weather is sure to be right around the corner. At that time, a minimum amount of maintenance should be done to our all plastic units, such as the WaterMatic, WaterMaster , and Thrifty King family. To maintain the lifetime of the immersion heater, remove the heater when the threat of freezing is gone, wipe any deposits off and store until the fall. The cable heater can be unplugged and if you choose, you can remove that as well.
For any waterers that have a stainless steel trough and has the heat built in, no maintenance is required. You can turn the electricity off to the unit should you choose.
If any parts need to be replaced, the warmer months are an excellent time to do so. For parts to the smaller units, contact your local dealer, distributor or visit http://www.ritchieequine.com. Parts for the larger waterers can be found through your dealer, distributor or by calling Ritchie direct at 800-747-0222.
As always, we are more than happy to answer any questions, you may have.
Recently we received a question asking why a depost accumulates in stainless steel troughs where the heaters are located. Below is a detailed answer provided by our engineer Rob.
If there is a deposit of a hard, off-white, chalky material in the bottom of your watering fountain trough right above where the heat element is mounted then you have limescale build-up. Limescale is mainly caused by the precipitation of calcium carbonate which is the dissolved salts responsible for hard water. Chalk, limestone, marble and travertine deposits are prevalent in many areas and are composed of calcium carbonate crystals. CaCO3. When rainwater falls on these deposits on the ground they are slowly dissolved because rainwater is slightly acidic. The combination of H20 which is water and CO2 which is carbon dioxide forms a weak acid called carbonic acid. The CO2 will remain dissolved in the water and so the calcium carbonate will stay in solution in an ionic state as Ca+ and CO3- ions as long as the water remains cool. However, if the water is heated, the CO2 immediately comes out of solution and so the pH (acidity) of the water is reduced. This causes the calcium and carbonate ions to recombine into their original form as chalk or limescale. Because the heating element is where this release of the CO2 happens, this is where the limescale is most likely to precipitate. The simple answer is not to have hard water but instead use soft water or softened water. If you’re unlucky enough to live in an area of hard water then you will need to treat your water if you wish to remove the limescale problem.
So the next question would be “Why not remove the heating elements from direct contact with the calcium carbonate rich water to prevent the build-up?” The simple answer is because of the heating efficiencies. The transfer of heat from the heating element to the water with direct contact will give you the greatest efficiency and any air space will give you considerably less. With air space between the heater and the water trough you are essentially heating the air and then the air is heating the trough and the water. Your potential heating efficiency will be reduced greatly and you could see your electric bill go up as much as 200%. While it is true that the build-up of limescale will reduce the efficiency it will not reduce it as much as putting air space between the heating element and the water trough.
Each year we feature artists on the covers of our brochures. This year we are proud to feature Eileen Bruni of Silver Horse Studios on our equine brochure.
Featured artist Eileen Bruni of Silver Horse Studios. Click image to enlarge.
Eileen Bruni is an artist specializing in equine and Native American art. She fell in love with horses at an early age and began drawing them as soon as she could hold a number two pencil in her hand.
Since childhood, Eileen has owned and ridden many
fine horses starting with her pinto pony, Apache. She is now the proud owner of a beautiful nine year old bay foundation quarter horse gelding, Cutter’s Little Poco. She considers Cutter her “horse of a lifetime”, and used his foal registration photo as the model for the colt in the brochure art. “Cutter has shown me what real partnernship can be with a horse. He is a wonderful friend and a great teacher”, she says.
Eileen and her husband live on a country property in upstate New York. She works from her home studio, creating her art primarily in watercolors, pencil and pastels. Her company, Silverhorse Studios participates in major equine expos around the country. Eileen specializes in custom portraiture, fine art prints, and custom painted clothing. To see more of her work, please visit www.silverhorsestudios.com.
We always enjoy hearing feedback from our customers. Our distributor Ferguson Enterprises included a great testimonial in their latest advertisement seen below.
Rick Lamb of The Horse Show speaks with a veterinarian the importance of water in horses and how Ritchie automatic waterers can help prevent water related issues in horses. For more information about Ritchie automatic waterers please visit http://www.ritchieequine.com
The WaterMatic Family could be considered our most versatile line of automatic waterers that we have on the market. From the low to the ground 150S which is designed for goats and sheep to our large capacity 1000 for large herds, the WaterMatic provides fresh water on demand to countless breeds. Designed to withstand feedlot abuse, the WaterMatics feature a 10 year limited warranty.
Warm Climates – energy free use
The WaterMatic family does not come standard with heat which makes these set of waterers ideal for warmer climates where freezing is not an issue. The fully insulated waterer will help keep the water cooler in the summer which will promote the animals drinking. The valve chamber (the center portion) acts as a cooler, maintaining the temperature of the incoming water. The cooler water will then circulate into the trough as soon as the animal drinks, providing cool drinking water. The poly casing is also infused with UV inhibitors to ensure long lasting durability and functionality.
Moderate and Cold Weather Climates
Although the WaterMatic series does not come standard with heat however it is an added option. The Immersion Heater can be placed into the valve chamber to prevent the water in the trough and the valve chamber from freezing. The self regulating thermostat has a range of 45-65 degrees and will turn of and on as needed. To pretect the valve and the water supply line use the Self regulating heat cable which also features a built in thermostat. Both heaters can easily be plugged in for easy installation and removal. Ritchie always recommends the use of both heaters to provide ultimate winter protection. Even with the addition of the heaters, the waterers remain energy efficient. On the smaller units, the average cost of electricity is between $20-$30 for the entire winter.
Additional Features
A sloped trough allows for quick and easy cleaning.
Ritchie’s tried and true valve for quick refill that will keep up with animals drinking.
One piece rugged fountain body, durable enough for feedlot situations.
Generous side access panel provides room to access the water supply line and optional heat.
Polyurethane foam insulation sealed inside polyethylene parts provides an r-factor of 7 per inch.
Recessed anchor holes accommodate drills and help to provide stability.
No gaskets to tear or crack. The water seal groove around the red valve cover is intended to freeze providing a fresh and secure seal each time it is opened.
Easy access to the valve and float as no tools needed to remove red valve chamber cover.
We announced the beginning of our annual photo contest yesterday. We have to give thanks to our fantastic sponsors, our 3 winners will receive some incredible prizes.
The rules are simple. The photo must include a Ritchie waterer and an animal of your choice. The resolution must be 300 dpi or higher and no real enhancements other than cropping or lightening or darkening. All photos can be submitted to rpeterson@ritchiefount.com. You can enter as many times as you like. Please click here for the official rules.
The prizes are as follows. Good luck to everyone.
Grand Prize – valued over $2,100
The Grand prize winner will receive the following:
Any livestock owner that lives in a climate that has harsh winters would tell you how much they dread watering their animals during those cold days. That is unless they have a heated automatic waterer that has been properly installed.
Running the waterline
Proper installation of any automatic waterer begins below ground. The waterline should be buried at least 1 foot below your frost line. For instance, in central Iowa where Ritchie Industries is located, our frost line is 3 feet, therefore we will bury our waterline 4 feet below ground. Protecting the waterline as it runs vertically from the horizontal line to the unit is imperative. The last thing you want is to have the waterline touch the ground or anything that the earth comes in contact with. This will allow frost to travel over to the line, eventually causing slush or even worse, freezing your line. To protect the vertical portion of the water line, center the line in a riser tube or an insulated thermal tube such as the ones that Ritchie Industries offers. Insulated Thermal Tubes help maintain the temperature of the warmer water that will run through the line when the waterer is in use.
Electric
In climates that have severe winters, utilizing a waterer that combines the insulation properties of plastic and the overall heat coverage of a stainless steel trough is always recommended for excellent performance. It is generally most cost effective to run your electrical supplyline at the same time you are trenching for your waterer supply. A qualified electrician should always be consulted while installing the electric line.
Concrete pad
There are very few automatic waterers that do not require a permanent foundation to bolt the unit to. Most ground mounted units require a concrete pad, large enough for the unit to be bolted down and allow a solid foundation for the animals to stand on. A rough broom finish helps with water run-off and will help eliminate the pooling of water that could potentially freeze. The concrete pad also provides a solid surface to place an all weather sealant along the base of the unit, preventing any air gaps that will allow cold wind to penetrate the inside compartment of the waterer.
Adjust the thermostat
Depending on the model you purchase, some units require that you adjust the thermostat to the desired temperature you would like to keep the water. Thermostats generally are not set at the factory. Setting the thermostat to turn on at your desired temperature may only take a couple adjustments. After the initial adjustment test the temperature while the heaters are on and either turn the thermostat up or down to reach your desired temperature.
Water seal grooves
Ritchie waterers have a unique water seal groove that will freeze the red portion of the waterer to the yellow portion. This allows a solid seal against the wind and cold without using gaskets. Be sure the water seal groove on a Ritchie waterer is filled with water and/or vegetable oil. On waterers that use gaskets, be sure the gasket is not missing or torn.
Variations
With so many designs available, be sure to follow the manufacturers instruction manual for variations or specific instructions according to the model that you have purchased. Following the manufacturers instructions will help ensure that your waterer will function properly during the winter and beyond.
Conrad, Iowa (December 29, 2010)— Ritchie Industries, manufacturers of durable, dependable automatic waterers, has announced it will become a sponsor of the United States Team Roping Championships (USTRC).
The USTRC has been a leader in producing championship roping events for amateur ropers since 1989. They have delivered more than $25 million in cash and prizes to its members. Their unique TRIAD classification system maintains the handicaps of almost 127,000 team ropers across North America. The USTRC continues to make history and revolutionize the sport of team roping through fairness and a “roper first” philosophy.
“We decided to become a sponsor as the USTRC came highly recommended to us and the more we learned about it, the more impressed we were with the organization,” commented Leon Yantis, President, Ritchie Industries, Inc.
Ritchie Industries manufactures 11 families of products representing 37 products and respective accessories. Their horse waterers are designed with simplicity and a horse’s safety in mind. Four product families are ideal for equine as well as livestock use. They include the new EcoFount, the OmniFount, the Thrifty King and the WaterMatic families. The Stall Fount series of waterers are wall-mounted 304 stainless steel waterers.
Since 1921, Ritchie has manufactured waterers for many species of livestock, including beef, dairy, equine, swine, sheep and goats. The distinct Ritchie design has been the standard bearer of quality. Ritchie fountains continue to serve all sizes of operations and the livestock industry with equipment designed to provide years of trouble-free use. For the name of the Ritchie distributor in your area, please call 800-747-0222 or visit www.ritchiefount.com.
The USTRC has added another partner to its stellar line of corporate partners with Ritchie Waterers, based in Conrad, Iowa.
Oskaloosa, Iowa native Thomas Ritchie patented his first water device in 1921 by connecting underground running water to automatic float-controlled watering equipment. Heated with a kerosene lamp, the water remained free flowing in cold weather. Farmers liked the laborsaving qualities of Thomas Ritchie’s patented waterer, and a new business was born.
“The quality of the Ritchie Waterer is second to none and is a product our members will find extremely valuable for the proper care of their horse,” said USTRC President Kirk Bray. “Being able to provide clean water, especially as winter approaches, is key to maintaining good animal health.”
Today, 90 years later, Ritchie Industries offers a complete line of animal watering products all over the world, and can point with pride to an unmatched reputation for quality and integrity. They receive orders from farmers who say they’re still using an original Ritchie fountain they bought 30, 40, and even 50 years ago. That history of quality is what guides Ritchie in the manufacturing process today.
“We decided to become a sponsor as the USTRC came highly recommended to us and the more we learned about it the more impressed we were with the organization,” said Ritchie Industries, Inc. President, Leon Yantis.
“We are looking forward to being a part of the USTRC. To participate in events and meet new people.”
Ritchie manufactures durable, dependable automatic fountains for many species of livestock, including beef, dairy, equine, swine, sheep and goats. The distinct Ritchie design has been the standard bearer of quality. Ritchie fountains continue to serve all sizes of operations in the livestock industry with equipment designed to provide years of trouble-free use. For the name of the Ritchie distributor in your area, please call 800-747-0222 or visit www.ritchieequine.com.
Introducing our new 3″ drain plug specificially designed for our WaterMatic and WaterMaster automatic waterers.
New WaterMatic and WaterMaster Drain Plug #18470
Top view showing the nylon wing-nut
The new drain plug features a stainless steel bolt.
In a constant effort to improve our waterers and the parts that go into them, Ritchie engineers have released our newest drain plug. Featuring the traditional Ritchie colors, the new drain plug is manufactured with top quality materials that will allow for a better seal. All drain plugs will have a stainless steel, reversable bolt that prevents rust and corrosion. The plug can easily be tightened for a greater seal using the nylon wing-nut. For extra leak protection, two standard size o-rings have been inserted on the top and the bottom of the plug. The pliable yellow portion, made of thermal plastic elastomer or TPE is housed and protected by high impact hard plastic. The TPE acts similar to our pliable silicone drain plugs in varying temperatures and will stand up against extreme heat and severe cold.
Other features include:
-UV stability
-Cold weather impact resistance
-Stands up against cholorine, algaecides, and oxidizers
-Does not support microbial growth
-FDA compliant
-Made in Iowa, USA
To purchase a new drain plug, part number #18470 for your WaterMatic or WaterMaster unit, please contact your distributor, your local dealer or purchase them online.
Winter is right around the corner so it is time insert your immersion heater into your all plastic unit. With existing installations, the heater should have been removed during the warmer months. If you have not done this, please test the heater by dropping it into a bucket of ice to ensure that it becomes hot.
With new installations, installing an immersion heater is quite simple. Immersion heaters should be placed flat on the bottom of the valve chamber. Ensure that the placement of the heater and its power cable do not interfere with the motion of the float assembly. Once the heater is in its place, plug the heater into an outlet located under the unit.
Below are some examples of how the heater should be placed in the units.
Immersion heater in a Thrifty King HG4
Immersion heater in a WaterMatic 300
Immersion heater application for a WaterMatic 150
Immerson heater in a WaterMaster 54
You can read more on how to test your heaters for winter here. Should you find that you need a replacement heater, please feel free to contact your local dealer or visit our online store. As always, please feel free to call us anytime at 800-747-0222.
Stephenville, Texas (Oct. 14, 2010) – Clinton Anderson’s Walkabout Tour is well-known for keeping crowds on the edge of their seats, and the Denver, Colorado tour was no exception. On Sunday afternoon, feature sponsor, Ritchie Industries, surprised the crowd with its generosity when it helped raise $15,000 for the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center, a local nonprofit organization that serves between 165 to 210 children and adults with a wide range of physical, cognitive and developmental disabilities.
CTRC was selected to run the Ritchie Ball Toss – a charity event presented by Ritchie Industries at each Clinton Anderson Walkabout Tour to help raise funds for a nonprofit organization. On the weekend of October 9 and 10, spectators purchased tennis balls from CTRC for $5, and on Sunday afternoon, tossed them into the arena for a chance to win Clinton’s instructional DVDs.
Ritchie Industries’ CEO, Leon Yantis, was on hand for the tour and immediately challenged CTRC to sell a thousand balls, and promised to match the balls dollar for dollar – a total of $10,000. He then upped the ante and added a $3,000 bonus if they could sell all thousand of the balls.
CTRC and the crowd wasted no time in taking Leon up on his challenge. “We had an arena full of folks cheering us on and doing everything they could to make sure we reached our goal,” CTRC’s executive director, Carol Heiden, said.
By Sunday afternoon, a total of $13,000 had been raised for the organization. Clinton donated a $1,000 to push funds pass unlucky number 13, and then Ritchie Industries followed suit, adding another $1,000 to make it an even $15,000.
“I put a lot of faith in Downunder Horsemanship’s ability to choose good charities, and CTRC is an incredible organization. While I’ve been to a couple of other tours this year and done similar things, I wanted to do something special at Denver because I used to live there and believe in the charity,” Leon explained. “We had a great time doing it, and were thrilled to be able to help good people.”
“The generosity of Leon Yantis, the warmth and support of the Clinton Anderson crew, both staff and club members, the fun and excitement of the actual ball toss – it was all so remarkable,” Carol said. “This $15,000 will make an enormous difference at CTRC. It will go a long way toward ensuring that our courageous, special needs riders keep ‘walking on.’”
About the Clinton Anderson Walkabout Tour
The Clinton Anderson Walkabout Tour presented by Ritchie Industries will next be in Murfreesboro, Tennessee November 6-7, 2010. For complete schedule or additional information about Downunder Horsemanship please visit www.downunderhorsemanship.com or call (888)287-7432.
Whether we like it or not, winter is coming. That means cold wind, ice, snow and freezing temperatures. Before all of this appears at our door step, prepare your waterer for winter.
We are often asked how to test the heaters in our automatic waterers when the weather is still warm. While we have detailed cold weather preparation pages listed throughout our website, I would like to answer this specific question.
The begining step is quite simple really. Make sure the power source to the unit is on if you are testing an all metal or combination steel and poly unit. Once you have established that the power source is on, pour ice into the trough causing the water temperature to decrease which will indicate to the thermostat that it needs to start working. If working, the heaters will turn on and begin warming the water.
If you have an all poly unit, before replacing the immersion heater into the unit for winter, plug the heater into an outlet and drop it in a pale or bucket of ice water and check to ensure it becomes hot to the touch.
In either cases, if the heaters do not become hot, now is the time to replace them. For smaller units, you will find heating components online at http://www.ritchieequine.com otherwise, please feel free to contact us for assistance.
For detailed information on how to prepare your Ritchie Waterer for the winter, please follow this link.
We often receive letters, emails and phone calls from our customers. The following story was sent to us several years ago but is worth sharing. If you have a story or even a concern, we hope that you feel free to contact us anytime.
To whom it may concern:
I missed the photo contest, but I thought I would send in some pictures of a older Ritchie Fountain we recently brought back to life!
I am coming up for a deployment to Iraq with my Guard unit in the near future. As such, I was concerned about leaving my wife and daughter with 3 horses to carry water for. During the summer, we usually string out 3-4 garden hoses and it’s no problem getting water from the house to the barn. The winter however is a different story.
About this time, my wife came home and mentioned that her boss at work had a contraption in his pasture that his wife was bugging him to get moved. So she went to look at it and recognized it as some sort of automatic waterer, but it was in desperate need of some TLC. She brought it home and put it at the top of my “honey-do” list. After putting it off for a couple of months, I cleaned it up and took it apart. I was debating if it was worth repairing. With the help of your website and the assistance of the personnel at Otis Bryant in Caneyville, Ky, I was able to get the parts I needed for under $110. Both heating elements were bad, as was the thermostat and the cable heater. Mud had collected in the bottom of the tank and rusted it quite a bit. After sandblasting, powder-coating, and baking, it was beginning to look better. The hardest part of the job was mixing the concrete for the platform where it sits. I was unable to get a concrete truck to come by so my wife, daughter, and I got to mix almost 4000 lb of concrete using a wheel barrel and a hoe…more work than I was use to!
When I was researching your website for parts, I found the numbers on the brass tag of the fountain. The model of the fountain is an 5E with the number 79 off to the right. If I have read your website correctly, that would make this fountain almost 30 years old! You don’t find many things that last like that anymore, much less something that has been left out and neglected for years.
At any rate, thanks for making a quality product. Now I have one less thing to worry about my wife having to take care of while I’m deployed.
Engineering presented me with an interesting question and asked me to post a question to our end users. As we enter our busy season and soon the winter, what makes our customers select our waterers over the others?
As a company we always strive to listen to what our customers tell us. As the customer, your opinions, thoughts, pats on the back are what constantly drive us to improve our product. Essentially you help us evolve. So I ask you, what made you choose our waterers over others? What was the deciding factor? If you have a Ritchie automatic waterer, what design features do you like/dislike? If there is anything you could change, what would it be?
Again, without you we cannot improve. We value your opinion and would love to hear your feedback.
We have officially moved on to the semi-final rounds of the photo contest. The winners of the contest will be announced the beginning of next week. As we are voting, below are a couple photos that made it to the quarter finals but did not advance.
Who says the waterers are for horses and cattle. Entered by Matthew of PA
Submitted by Lisa of KentuckyEntered by Matt and Jenny of PA
Since 1921 Ritchie Industries has been the premier watering equipment for cattle, sheep, hogs and the dairy industry. Although in the past twenty years or so there has been more of a need in the equestrian market to find a “better way.” Most horse owners have been restricted to the bucket or stock tank and hose because they didn’t know there was a better, more feasible way to water their horses. Filling your buckets and troughs by hand has been the norm, therefore past down from generations before, it has historically been correct, along with the commitment and passion of owning a horse there always will be some amount of “work and maintenance” to go with it.
Yet, with all the work and maintenance that we do to keep our horses, we find it takes more time as we get older and we get to spend less time enjoying our four legged companions. Our rides through the pasture get shorter, our time cleaning stalls and filling buckets gets longer. And as the winters seem to get colder and extend further into spring, we desire to spend less time dragging hoses from the basement to the faucet after thawing them out from the evening before because we forgot them or were just too tired to go back outside. We dread the idea of slopping buckets of water from our bathtubs out to our barns because the old hydrant isn’t providing water, again. But worst of all, we are tired of fighting with 1500 watt submersible heaters that cost us what seems to be half a years worth of wages to keep our stock tanks from turning into one large ice cube tray that we get to chip away at with our axe or hammer. If our horses could talk, the things they have seen us do, we’d never let them out of the stall for fear they would share our stories! So we start kicking in the extra twenty or thirty dollars for the thermostatically controlled stock tank heaters only to realize that when heating fifty plus gallons of water they never automatically shut off, consuming just as much energy as the cheaper ones.
Then spring comes and we think, “that winter wasn’t so bad.” So, we head off to the local farm store and buy another plastic or galvanized stock tank because that one destructive horse we all have and love decided the old one made a better foot bath then watering hole and cracked or dented it beyond repair. While we are there, we grab a new garden hose, one that says commercial on it this time, more money but maybe this one won’t crack after it freezes when we forget to bring it in next winter. We cringe at the bill, but our horses need water. We won’t tell our significant others, it will be dirty in a week and they won’t even know we bought it, we hope.
With spring comes the horse shows and we can’t wait to see what the latest and greatest saddles look like, and why not, we need some new boots, maybe a bit or two to try, and my lead rope is kind of frayed, and the list goes on. We leave the show with a thousand dollars worth of stuff that we will hang in the tack room for a couple months, collecting dust, but we needed it. While out in the yard, the old stock tank is now green with algae, and the birds using it as a bathing hole have managed to make a mess in it again, spreading who knows what. Not to mention the mosquitoes and other insects that are producing offspring in there. We make our way to through the pasture with a bucket in hand, slopping the green slimy mixture out onto the ground as though to be saving ourselves from a sinking ship. While our horses watch with a humorous stare laughing at us, every now and then giving you a nudge in the back as to say “hurry up, I’m getting a bit parched over here.” So we waste an hour or two of our day, emptying and then refilling the tank, precious time we could have spent riding or training.
It’s now evening and we settle in front of the television to catch up on a little bit of our favorite rural farm shows and see an advertisement from Clinton Anderson talking about automatic waters. Yeah, easy for him to say, he’s Clinton Anderson for crying out loud, he can afford automatic waterers. So we put it off for another day and drift off to sleep.
This is where most individuals leave the idea of an automatic waterer behind them. The most common excuses are, “I can’t afford it, my horse will wreck it, I can’t install it, my horse will never drink out of that and lastly how do I know if my horse is drinking if I don’t fill the bucket?”
Well, I am here to tell you, you can’t afford not to own a Ritchie automatic waterer, and here is why:
Remember those stock tank heaters you have? They can cost you upwards of hundreds of dollars per winter to heat; a Ritchie Eco Fount 1 will cost less than $20.00 per year to heat, yes that’s right per year. They are 173 watts and because we are only heating 3.5 gallons of water, we are not constantly using energy. In what you save in energy costs alone, will typically cover your installation costs of a waterer in about two years.
How about that plastic tank you buy every year and the new garden hose? Plastic stock tanks typically cost about $200.00-$300.00 and a good quality garden hose $50.00-$70.00. An Eco Fount 1 list price is $525.00, and that includes the heaters! Meaning what you spend in two years for stock tanks and hoses, you could have purchased your waterer already. And, our Automatic waterers carry a Limited Ten Year Warranty; try getting that on a stock tank.
Our waterers are mainly constructed of thick and durable poly. They have stood up to the test of watering dairy cattle and even buffalo. Therefore, they will undoubtedly stand up to your toughest horse.
Installation is usually the scariest part of getting your first automatic waterer. Although it can seem treacherous, installing a waterer can be done by anyone with a bit of basic plumbing and electrical knowledge. Digging the trench to where your waterer will be located is the toughest of tasks, mainly because equipment will be needed to do so and not everyone can operate a back hoe, so they think. But rental equipment stores all over the country will give you operation lessons before they ever let you leave with their mini backhoes and in most cases they are not too terribly expensive to rent for a weekend. Besides once you have it at home and your waterer is installed, you always find something else to do with it until it has to be returned on Monday. But if it still seems to be too much for you, there are dealers located across the country that can install your waterer for you, so don’t dread the idea, it can be done.
Training horses to drink out of automatic waterers is as simple as making it the only source of water available. Horses are naturally curious animals and will inspect and check out the new object in there yard and realize there is water inside. Once they start drinking from it, it’s a done deal.
Lastly, the concern of is my horse drinking water? If you worry about this happening, which we all do, we have an inexpensive water meter available as an option on your waterer, reset it each time you feed and you will know exactly how much your horses are consuming.
So, how does that stock tank or bucket sound to you now? Kind of time consuming and expensive doesn’t it…? I know because I was in the same boat prior to ever getting an automatic waterer. I too, just didn’t know there was a better way. But now, the simplicity of a Ritchie waterer keeps my horses healthier by providing fresh clean water, and it allows me more time to spend with my horses in the summer and less time cold and wet in the winter months. Granted, I am a bit partial to Ritchie, not just because I am the sales representative for Ritchie automatic waterers in Wisconsin, Upper Michigan and Illinois. But, I am a firm believer that you have to do something daily in your life that you are passionate about; and I am passionate about Ritchie waterers because they are simple, reliable and proven efficient money savers. They will simplify your life and make your equestrian passion a more enjoyable one.
Spend some more time enjoying your passion and less time and money watering it.
Sincerely, Jeremy Tritten
Ritchie Industries Accounts Manager
Ferguson Enterprises Inc.
Wisconsin Rapids Branch 1678
1121 21st Avenue North
Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495
800-950-4882 fax 715-423-5323
The voting continues as we approach our semi finals. The winner will be announced next week.
In the mean time, I would like to share with you images that made it to the quarter finals but will not be advancing.
Entered by Matt and Jenny of PA, The CT2-2000 is providing fresh clean water to their cattleGreat shot of this old commander automatic waterers. Submitted by Barry and Brenda of Iowa
Submitted by Marc and Evelyn of AB Canada
Great shot of this old commander automatic waterers. Submitted by Barry and Brenda of Iowa
Submitted by Wilber of Texas, these horses are taking their turn at the Ritchie WaterMatic 150
Thank you to everyone that entered and don’t forget to check back for more updates.
We are moving on to voting in the quarter final rounds beginning next week. Throughout the voting process, I have been posting pictures that unfortunately did not make it to the next round. They are considered honorable mention entries.
Keep checking our blog as we will keep you updated as to the progress of the contest.
Entered by Allison of WV, great shot of the Thrifty King CT4
Entered by Lisa of Kentucky, Great shot of a variety of animals enjoying fresh clean water from their WaterMatic 150S
The voting has resumed on our 2010 photo contest. As I have mentioned before this has been an incredible year for photos. As some of the entries move on to the quarter final round, some unfortunatly have not made it.
Entered by Matt of Pennsylvania of the energy efficient Ritchie CT2-2000
Entered by Cloyd of Pennsylvania
Thanks again to all of our photo contest sponsors eZall, Jeffers Equine, Justin Boots, Rick Lamb, Clinton Anderson, Ken McNabb, STI, Cinch Jeans and even a brand new Ritchie Waterer.
This has been a fun week of voting on our photo contest entries. With the conclusion of this week, it appears that the winners will not be announced until the week of the 19-23. I can imagine the anticipation makes waiting difficult but thanks to all of those who entered, we have quite the selection to choose from.
As in my previous post, I would like to take the opportunity to highlight some of the great photos that we received that unfortunately did not make it to the semifinal round.
A number of animals enjoy fresh clean water from the WaterMatic 150S. Entered by Lisa of Kentucky
The Ritchie waterer can be used for a variety of animals...including dogs. Entered by Mike of Kansas
This shot of our energy efficient Ritchie Thrifty King CT2-2000 was entered by Matthew of PA.
Thanks again to everyone that entered and most of all to our photo contest sponsors for your help in making this a fantastic contest.
eZall, Jeffers Equine, Justin Boots, Rick Lamb, Clinton Anderson, Ken McNabb, STI, Cinch Jeans and even a brand new Ritchie Waterer.
For the past 5 years, we have been conducting a photo contest from January to August of each year. Although the contest started small, over the years it has gained momentum and resulted in some incredible photos. This year is a testament to that as we have had a record number of entries. That may have something to do with the great prizes supplied by our photo contest sponsors like eZall, Jeffers Equine, Justin Boots, Rick Lamb, Clinton Anderson, Ken McNabb, STI, Cinch Jeans and even a brand new Ritchie Waterer. The photo contest is a fun way for us and our customers see installations and animals not only in the United States but around the world. We have received pictures from as far as Greece.
We began our voting on Monday of this week, August 2nd. Due to the large number of images received this year, voting will not be complete until the end of next week or even the following week. At that time the winner will be announced. Contacting the winners are some of the most delightful phone calls to make.
As we move on to the quarter final rounds, I would like to share with you some of the images that were great but unfortunately didn’t make it to the quarter final round.
Entered by Tammy of Iowa. Love the steam and the water drips.
What a great winter photo of our newest waterer the EcoFount. Entered by Judy of Iowa
Entered by Matthew and Jennifer in Canada. They provided this description “- it looks as though one is speaking to you giving commentary as his buddy takes a drink: “Step up to the bar for a cold one-cold enough to be refreshing, never cold enough to freeze.” Bulls with personality, the whole lot of ‘em.” Yes we do.
Thanks everyone who has entered. As you can see we have had some excellent entries. Keep watching for more updates on this years winners and watch for our photo contest coming January 2011.
We know that buying an automatic waterer of any brand can be an huge investment. I personally have run into several people at trade shows or have talked to them on the phone that have saved for years to purchase an automatic waterer. We also know that over these past two years, everyone is looking for ways to save on the items that they truly need, may potentially save time and money in the future or simply want to give themselves a little extra time during the day.
Automatic waterers have the ability to do all of those. You will save time as you will not have to worry about watering your animals. How much time would that save you in a day?
Automatic waterers also offer peace of mind. You will not have those 2 am realizations that you left the hose running to the stock tank and it has been running for 8 hours, flooding your farm/pasture/paddock/barn.
They also can save you money on your electric bill and water costs. Highly insulated automatic waterers such as Ritchie can cost as low as $5 for the entire winter to heat. That is just pennies a day, if that. If you are watering your animals with stock tanks using 1000 or even worse 1500 watt heaters, you will end up paying for your waterer that first winter. And as for that water bill. Stock tanks can require 50-100 gallons of water to fill. Each time you dump one of those tanks you are dumping all of that water. Most automatic waterers have low water volume so when you go to clean, you are only dumping a couple gallons as opposed to up to 100.
Several electric companies and conservations districts have taken notice of the savings involved with an automatic waterer. Because of this, they have offered rebates or cost share programs that will cover all or some of the cost of the unit. Sometimes even cover a portion of the installation costs. Ritchie automatic waterers qualify for many if not all of these programs.
We have tracked down many of these programs and have listed them on our Ways to Save page. Take a look around, there may just be one available in your area. Here is the link http://www.ritchiefount.com/wts.html.
Also, if you happen to know of one that isn’t listed please feel free to pass it on. We would be happy to share with others in your area.
We have also listed all of our estimated energy costs on each of our product page. See what you can save.
I had the opportunity to attend a Walkabout Tour in Vegas the weekend of June 12, 2010. This was a fantastic learning trip for me. You see, being from Iowa, we have 4 distinct seasons and will go from extremely cold to extremely hot during our 365 days of the year. In general, I speak with more people who share similar environments, especially those who have questions about freezing. Not often do I receive questions about how they hold up in the heat. Until this show.
First and foremost, I would like to thank all of those who asked me this question because it really made me think. I had to adjust my common answers to appropriately fit these new questions.
So here they are, the questions and answers I received and gave during my trip to Vegas.
1. How do these (our plastic, non heated waterers) hold up in the hot sun?
Answer: All of our plastic units are infused with UV inhibitors that will decrease the breakdown of the plastic under the hot sun. They will maintain their durability. If anything, the color may fade.
2. Won’t the water become extremely hot?
Answer: Yes the water will become warm if the animals are not drinking. However, as a general rule, if the weather is hot, the animals will be drinking more to keep themselves hydrated. The water line is plumbed underground which will help maintain a colder incoming water temperature. The incoming water then will fill inside the valve chamber. The valve chamber, during hot weather, acts as a cooler as it is highly insulated. This will help maintain the temperature of the water so as soon as the animals go to take a drink, the cooler water will fill the trough. So essentially, more drinking means more water circulation and cooler water temperatures.
3. Will the waterers need electricity to run?
Answer: No. The only time that electricity is needed is to run the heating components. In hot climates, this obviously will not be necessary.
As always if you have questions about the function of our waterers, we welcome them.
Conrad, Iowa (May 26, 2010)— Freedomfarm™ is nestled in the Minnesota country approximately 40 miles west of the hustle and bustle of Minneapolis. While many are fighting rush hour traffic and hustling around the city, the focus and activities at Freedom Farms presents a completely different purpose.
Freedomfarm provides therapeutic riding incorporating sensory, cognitive and social stimulation to build skills and confidence on their 18.5-acre facility. They work with children and adults, particularly war veterans, to improve mobility and build confidence using the unique attributes of horses.
Located in Waverly, Minnesota, it is the location for an upcoming episode of “The Horse Show” hosted by Rick Lamb on RFD-TV. The episode highlights Lamb taking on a role similar to that of Mike Rowe of the series, “Dirty Jobs”. In doing so, he is hands-on installing two automatic waterers provided by Ritchie Industries of Conrad, Iowa. Also on location for filming were Chad Carlson of Carlson Wholesale and Chad Harwood of Harwood Trenching (Carlson’s installing dealer).
The installed waterers were Omni 3s from the OmniFount line. They have a 10-gallon capacity and were installed with heating units to aid in the harsh winter conditions of Minnesota.
According to Susie Bjorklund, Founder and Executive Director of Freedomfarm, “I am incredibly grateful for all the work and the opportunity to be a part of this episode. The waterers will help free up time I can now dedicate to those who need our help.”
“The Horse Show” Freedomfarms and Ritchie episode is scheduled to air the week of June 7 on RFD-TV.
Since 1921, Ritchie has manufactured durable, dependable automatic fountains for many species of livestock, including beef, dairy, equine, swine, sheep and goats. The distinct Ritchie design has been the standard bearer of quality. Ritchie fountains continue to serve all sizes of operations and the livestock industry with equipment designed to provide years of trouble-free use. For the name of the Ritchie distributor in your area, please call 800-747-0222 or visit www.ritchiefount.com.
Late last fall, I had a discussion with Rick Lamb about the possibility of doing another Ritchie based television show. The episode that we filmed of “The Horse Show with Rick Lamb” in 2009 was so successful, why not? During our conversation, Rick brought up the idea of channeling Mike Rowe and do a “Dirty Job” type episode. I loved the idea and we ran with it.
With the help of Chad Carlson (Carlson Wholesale) and Chad Harwood (Carlson’s installing dealer, Harwood Trenching) we located a film site in Waverly, Minnesota. We were going to invade Freedom Farms, a therapeutic riding center that offers free sessions and therapy to wounded soldiers and those suffering with post traumatic stress disorder. I ran it by Rick, got his approval, and started to make preparations for the shoot to begin the last week of April. This was going to be a great Ritchie episode, full of useful information, I thought. I certainly wasn’t expecting what I found when I arrived.
Monday the 26th began my trip north. Towards the end of my 5 hour journey, I found myself driving through a post card. The quaint little towns, beautiful farms, bright blue sky, I was in awe. Nestled among these beautiful farms and across the street from a lake, was 18.5 acres of Freedom Farms, an equally beautiful farm oozing with historical character. I arrived around 4:30, touched base with Chad Carlson, surveyed the film locations, and had the opportunity to meet Sue Claussen who assists at FF and Tom Bjorkland, the husband of Susie Bjorkland, the director of FF. I then had the opportunity to witness Susie in action. She was conducting a class at the time I arrived. Focused and purpose driven, Susie briefly said her hellos and went on to teach her class. I could not remove the smile from my face as I was watching the three adorable kids having the time of their life atop those horses. About 10 minutes in, Susie stopped the kids, had them ride their horses to the middle of the arena and wave to me and thank me for the waterers and for letting FF participate in “The Horse Show”. I honestly had to hold back tears, and the emotional part hadn’t even begun. As I was leaving that evening, I knew that we were filming at the right place. That FF was a place of greatness that made our waterer installation seem quite small in the scheme of things. Ritchie wasn’t the story here. The amazing things that went on at Freedom farms trumped that by far.
Susie and Tom Bjorklund
I must tell you about Susie Bjorkland, the FF director. She is extremely focused, smart, driven and humble. It is clear that her goal is to help as many people as possible, with all kinds of mental, emotional, and physical challenges, some far beyond any of us will ever have to experience. Susie does it with a smile and contagious positive attitude. She mentioned to me several times, “If they would only come,” meaning her door is kept wide open.
Tuesday we had the opportunity to visit with two female veterans, both severely suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. Their stories were heart wrenching and sad. But as they started to speak to what Freedom Farms and Susie means to them, their demeanor changed, becoming inspirational. Freedom Farms was a safe place, a place that helped them shut down the clutter in their heads. Freedom Farms means the world to them.
Later that evening, Susie had arranged an incredible surprise for us. Being the focused and driven person that she is, she took advantage of our invasion and arranged to have the Minnesota division of the Patriot Guard Riders visit the farm. They rode in on their various models of motorcycles, gravel dust flying, and American flags flying high. It was awesome. Susie gave a demonstration to the Patriot Guard and let them know a little more about the program so they could let their friends and family know. After the demonstration was over, we enjoyed a very nice dinner with the patriot guard, veterans who participated through the day, Susie’s parents and of course other fine employees, an handful of FF 80 volunteers and family members of those involved with Freedom Farms.We left that evening completely drained, physically and even more so, emotionally. There was enough good, useful and intriguing video to make 2 full episodes.
Chad Carlson and Rick Lamb
The next day, the Lambs and I returned to the farm to film the dirty jobs portion of the show. Rick was ready in his work gear to climb in the trench and install a unit from start to finish. Chad Harwood uses directional boaring to install waterers. A process that is incredibly interesting to watch and at the same time, preserves the land around the waterer so less land repair would be needed. During the installation process, Chad Carlson was wired up with a mic and participated in most of the narrative and instructions to Rick. By the way, Rick and Diana Lamb mentioned several times what a natural he is on camera, that he could be the next Ty Pennington, and that he looks great. A star is born!
By the end of the day the two waterers were completely installed and looked incredible on the property. The cattle were sure glad we were done so they could eat and drink in peace. Susie was incredibly grateful for all of the work and allowing her to be a part of this. She said that the waterers will help free up time that she can now dedicate to those that she helps. I think all of us are grateful for the work that she is doing and for allowing us to be part of something so incredible.
“The Horse Show” Freedom Farms/Ritchie episode is set to air June 7th on RFD-TV.
***Freedom Farms recently leased an old school house adjecent to their property. They are hoping to renovate it to make a day retreat for soldiers and their families. Pictures can be fount on our Facebook page.
Conrad, Iowa (February 17, 2010)— Ritchie Industries is pleased to announce the launch of the Omni 10 waterer, which joins the popular line-up of OmniFounts. Customers have long requested a new, large capacity waterer since the popular Cattle Fountain 10 was phased out in 2005.
The newest unit features an all-around drinking area. Like other members of the OmniFount family, it has a 304 stainless steel trough with heat elements attached to the underside for excellent frost-free service under the most severe winter conditions. The body of the Omni 10 is made from Ritchie’s heavy-duty polyethylene construction. The fountain is insulated with highly energy efficient polyurethane foam, providing at least an R-value of 14.
Its large trough, which holds 28 gallons of water, has an animal capacity of 275 head of cattle and 135 head of dairy. Ritchie Industries’ new Omni 10 carries a 10-year limited warranty and is available in March through distributors and dealers nationwide. (more…)
The following interview took place Tuesday, June 24, 2003, through the Brownfield Network http://www.brownfieldagnews.com. The original description is as follows “Since the outbreak of West Nile Virus in 1999 over 15-thousand horses have been infected with the disease in the U.S. and Canada. Mike Gerbo at Ritchie Waterers has done research on the impact of automatic waterers on mosquito habitat, and which waterers work best for horses. For more information, visit the Ritchie Industries website. He visited with reporter Lauri Struve”
I just wanted to tell how wonderful the Eco fount is. I did put a heat tape on the supply pipe just in case but haven’t used it. The thermal pipe does it’s job, even to -33 F. (so far) Now it’s go out and throw a few bales – no waiting for the old tank to fill. It’s always full.
Why did I wait so long? I don’t know. I have noticed a decrease in the electric bill too.
Conrad, Iowa (February 2nd, 2012)— Ritchie Industries, manufacturers of durable, dependable automatic waterers, has announced it will become a sponsor of the Masters of Foxhounds Association (MFHA).
The ebay auction to raise money for NARHA is going strong. However as of today, Vetericyn has generously added to the auction to help raise more money. Included in each auction is a year’s supply of Wound & Infection Treatment, valued at $200. 
Fourteen-year-old Zoey has been participating in therapeutic riding for the past twelve years. Born without 50% of her brain stem and 95% of her cerebellum; Zoey’s prognosis was that she would never walk, talk or feed herself. Zoey’s mother enrolled her at age two in a local therapeutic riding program. Zoey, who couldn’t even hold up her head, progressed spectacularly, and has gone from riding with a horse leader and side-walker to riding completely independently at the walk and trot. Zoey now asks boundless questions about riding and stays late after class to groom and feed her horse. She has made unimaginable progress.
About this time, my wife came home and mentioned that her boss at work had a contraption in his pasture that his wife was bugging him to get moved. So she went to look at it and recognized it as some sort of automatic waterer, but it was in desperate need of some TLC. She brought it home and put it at the top of my “honey-do” list. After putting it off for a couple of months, I cleaned it up and took it apart. I was debating if it was worth repairing. With the help of your website and the assistance of the personnel at Otis Bryant in Caneyville, Ky, I was able to get the parts I needed for under $110. Both heating elements were bad, as was the thermostat and the cable heater. Mud had collected in the bottom of the tank and rusted it quite a bit. After sandblasting, powder-coating, and baking, it was beginning to look better. The hardest part of the job was mixing the concrete for the platform where it sits. I was unable to get a concrete truck to come by so my wife, daughter, and I got to mix almost 4000 lb of concrete using a wheel barrel and a hoe…more work than I was use to!
