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Raising Our Own

We aim to raise about 20 Quarter Horse foals each year for our own use and eventually for sale as they progress. The focal points of our program are to raise a versatile, well-rounded Quarter Horse of medium size, durable conformation and innate cow sense. We also believe in drawing from a pool of genetic variety to avoid known - and as yet unknown - concentrations of traits that create disease or weakness. At some point, we'd like to offer a more complete explanation of our philosophy and research for you to consider, but our home-bred horse program can be summarized simply:

Performance bred. We believe in the versatility of the Quarter Horse and his time-honored place on Western ranches. But we also know that many ranchers and showmen have proven their stock beyond what the neighbors think by entering them in rodeo and show competition and making a track record for themselves. We draw our breeding stock from successful performance bloodlines.

Pasture raised. Once these athletic foals enter the world, we turn them out on large Wyoming pastures in a herd with their mamas. They learn to be horses, learn to mind their feet, learn to expect jackrabbits and magpies at random.

McNabb trained. When we bring them back in to meet up with a round pen and snaffle bit, they've already been in sagebrush and rocks, hillsides and creek crossings. So we're ready to focus on respecting the rider and learning from the little rewards of a slack rein or extra pat. Ken and DeeDee can't handle them all personally, but Ken's lifetime of acquired "natural horseman" knowledge is reflected in the handling and saddle training of each horse.

Ranch experienced. Before most of these horses are offered to anyone else - except a few young fillies or performance prospects - they are given a job on the ranches so we can see what we've got. The measuring stick is whether we like to use them in our daily work, not what's the hot color or bloodline in the sale ring. When we're pleased with the horses we ride, then we'll be ready to offer them for sale to other horsemen.

Breeding Stock:

The Sires

Heaven’s Rooster 
(Gallo del Cielo ("Rooster") x Arizona Playgirl by Freckles Playboy) 

"Quest" is our young cowhorse stallion with agility and cow sense to pass along classic genetics from dominant bloodlines of a generation ago.  His sire is one of three highly successful sons of the legend Peppy San Badger when crossed to Docs Starlight (the others are Grays Starlight and Paddys Irish Whiskey).  His dam is a daughter of the “other side” of the cowhorse world, Freckles Playboy, whose offspring have proven themselves in many disciplines and out on the range.  Coming four years old, Quest likes people, responds to handling, learns extra fast and has tons of natural agility.  He’s a bay of about 14-2 hands, with a little time left to grow.  Quest is expecting 8 foals in 2010 and we are very excited to get them started. 

Bright Spanish Ring
(Bright Spanish Class x Stage Ring by Skippers Ring)

Ring is the "other side” of the Diamond-McNabb program, a sizeable, athletic representation of the Skipper W line that dominated Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse events two generations ago.  Ring brings a tall stature at more than 15-2 hands, classic halter-like conformation and strong musculature over good structure.  Now 8 years old, Ring was shown at halter a little as a young stallion, winning some points and showing potential like his sire, Bright Spanish Class, a Palomino Horse Breeders’ Association Reserve Champion and World Champion Stallion.  In addition to good bone and ranchy size, Ring brings high genetic variation to our foals, as he is genetically distant from the popular cowhorse bloodlines of today (though he has shown a lot of interest in cows on pasture drives).  He also contributes a deep palomino color with an extra sheen in the summer sun.  Ring is expecting 13 foals in 2010, and we expect them to be stamped with his big hip and handsome head like previous years.

The Ladies

We’ve traveled a fair bit over the Rocky Mountains and West Coast to assemble a group of broodmares from a handful of successful horse families. 

Daughters of Legends. On occasion, we've had the opportunity to acquire some rather hard-to-find daughters of original legends.

Anns Badgerette (Peppy San Badger x Colonel Ann by Colonel Freckles)

Queen Me Peppy (Peppy San Badger x Foxy Reina by El Rey Rojo)

Im A Little Flashy (deceased) (Peppy San Badger x Paloma Torcaz by El Alejos).
We will have 4 quality offspring of this classically typey QH mare.

Playboys Emerald (Freckles Playboy x Lenachick by Doc Olena)

Miss Play Ola (Freckles Playboy x Miss Doc Ola by Doc Olena)

La Dulce Vida (Grays Starlight x Dulce Jess by King Billy Jess)

Roosters Freckle (Gallo del Cielo x Arizona Playgirl by Freckles Playboy)

The Royal Fletch daughters. Standing at the Four Sixes, Royal Fletch is "the versatile sire" sending offspring into multiple disciplines after he won the NCHA Open Futurity with a record score in 2000.

Royal Wedding Belle (Royal Fletch x Royal Serena Belle by Shorty Lena)
Dam Royal Serena Belle was NCHA Open Futurity Reserve Champion herself.

Fletch the Kitty (Royal Fletch x Quixote Kitty Lena by Doc Olena)

Fletch the Chic (Royal Fletch x Stylish Elans Chic by Docs Stylish Oak)

The Boonlight Dancer daughters. Like Rooster (Gallo del Cielo) and Grays Starlight, Boonlight belongs to the successful Polo Ranch program in Oklahoma. A son of Peptoboonsmal with substance, Boonlight Dancer won the NRCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity Open in 2001.

Starlight Dance (Boonlight Dancer x Miss Starlight Chexx by Grays Starlight)

Moonlight Magnolia (Boonlight Dancer x Magnolia Chexx by Mr Tony Chex)

Dosey Blue (Boonlight Dancer x Dosey Doc by Doc's Prescription)

Ipana Gal (Boonlight Dancer x Pepsodent Style by Doc’s Stylish Oak)

The Two Eyed Red Buck daughters. Outside of Texas and Oklahoma, the Howard Pitzer family has made a tradition of AQHA champions and midwest ranch stalwarts from their Nebraska headquarters for many years. Red Buck is the AQHA champion son of AQHA Superhorse Mr Baron Red, earning most of his performance record in roping events and in halter.

Eyes So More (Two Eyed Red Buck x So Dusty Moore by Watch Joe Jack)
Watch Joe Jack got his own chapter in the latest edition of Western Horseman's Quarter Horse Legends book.

Jackie Red Buck (Two Eyed Red Buck x Docs Nimble Jackie by Mr Silvertone Jack)

Eyes Fancie Jackie (Two Eyed Red Buck x Two ID Fancy by Two ID Watch Joe)

Two Eyed Pearly Buck (Two Eyed Red Buck x  Miss Pearly Zans by Zans Bouncy Jack)

Bucks Genuine Bell (Two Eyed Red Buck x Tyrees Genuine Bell by Genuine Doc)

Dudette Two Eyes (Two Eyed Red Buck x Lady Pynchon by Blondy's Dude

Mares from the Joe Kirk Fulton ranch. Mr. Fulton originally bred the foal Peppy San Badger in 1974, and subsequently sold him to the King Ranch who made him a star. Since then, Mr. Fulton has continued to raise Quarter Horses, some for the race track and others for ranch use. Ken was invited to see some of these mares and we acquired several.

Crystal Clearly (Visionarian x Miss Quien Sabe 211 by Mr Crimson Shoes)

Vision of Desire (Visionarian x Her Hearts Desire by The Tardee Tradition)

Docs Fancy Spider (Mr Quien Sabe 450 x Miss Quien Sabe 469 by Doc Reckless)

Miss Quien Sabe 515 (Doc Reckless x Dynastic Peppy by Peppy Sanbar)

Miss Quien Sabe 475 (Doc Reckless x Miss Quien Sabe 299 by Mr Crimson Shoes)

Miss Quien Sabe 544 (Athena Flits Be x Miss Quien Sabe 347 by Mr Crimson Shoes)

Miss Quien Sabe 514 (Athena Flits Be x Classic Soft Shoe by Peppy Sanbar)

True and McNabb family mares. Finally, we each had a few mares of different kinds with one or more traits to endear them to us.

Morningstar Cash (Mean Olene x Correlon by Bedago)
On the papers of this mare are Dash for Cash above and Beduino below. Wears the brand of the Bill Coy family, who bred Coy's Bonanza.

CS Im No Lady (Peppy Otoe San x My Ladys a Cal Bar by Dox Chex)
Half sister to Ken's stallion, Stormy.

Miss Fussy San (Peppy Otoe San x Hanks Miss Fussy by Docs Hanky Pankey)
Half sister to Ken's stallion, Stormy.

Montana Dreams (APHA) (Along Came a Spider x B Bars Smooth Silk by Tinks Big Bar)

Watch Two Miss Blue (Watch Two Eyed Buck x Miss Royals Blue by Royals Diligents)

Sundown (Grade palomino mare)
Wears the Coy brand.