Biography
After four reserve championship finishes that had made him one of the most beloved near-misses in the event's history, Phillip Ralls and Call Me Mitch finally broke through in 2023. The Metallic Cat stallion known simply as 'Mitch' had been a bridesmaid so many times that Fort Worth had begun to feel like home for the wrong reasons. The 2023 championship changed all of that — not just a victory, but the end of a story that the entire reined cow horse community had been watching with a mix of anticipation and sympathy.
Mitch performed across all four events with the quality that had always been evident in this partnership — the reason why they had come so close so many times before. The Metallic Cat bloodline, which had already produced John Swales' 2020 WGH championship horse, delivered again through Mitch's 2023 performance. Ralls' preparation was complete, his competitive execution was sharp, and Mitch gave him everything the championship required.
The Ralls name in WGH history now spans two generations. Phillip's father Ron Ralls won back-to-back titles in 2003 and 2004. Twenty years later, Phillip claimed his own championship — creating one of the most meaningful father-son legacies in the event's history. The 2023 title carries that weight alongside the story of the near-misses finally resolved, making it one of the most emotionally resonant championships the WGH has produced.