The pitch
What walked into the Den
On the Piikani Nation near Brocket, Alberta, Riel Houle built Pale Horse into a seasonal tipi camp offering overnight stays rooted in the land and its stories.
Houle carried that idea onto Dragons' Den Canada in season 13, asking for $50,000 in return for 25 percent, which valued the camp at about $200,000.
After the show
What happened next
The camp is still welcoming guests. Its current site advertises an open season running May 1 to September 1, 2026, lists Houle as owner and operator, and takes booking requests directly.
Our read
The Hub verdict
Riel Houle asked $50,000 for a quarter of the camp, a $200,000 valuation that fits a seasonal lodging operation rather than a scaling startup. Vincenzo Guzzo took that number and doubled the equity, putting up the same $50,000 for half the business, 25 percent for himself and 25 percent for a Mohawk partner he wanted to bring in, subject to that partner's diligence. Paying the asking price while insisting on control is a Dragon buying the operator and the land story together rather than a stake in a cabin business. The camp is still booking a 2026 season at palehorse.ca.
Guzzo paid the ask but took half; camp still booking
Worth knowing: The domain printed in older records now redirects elsewhere. The camp's real home is palehorse.ca.
