News Sep 2, On Sunday morning, my husband went out to do the chores and found our stud dead in the corral. No sign of struggle, so we presume his heart just failed. He was only 13 years old, so it was quite a shock. Bill rode him a lot when he was younger and would still grab him when he needed to go do something around the place. He had some breathing problems, due in part, we believe, to having had West Nile when it hit the country that first year. He was super smart, had a comical attitude and had quite the routine around the barn.
He was a really gifted gate opener and could pick locks and untie knots to rival Houdini. As a sire, his offspring are smart, quick, cowy, easy moving and predominately sorrel with a double sworl on the forehead. The horses by him also have his hustle and generally have a fast running-walk as a result. They are fun to ride, as he was. The gates are sure easy to go through, too, with the one simple latch.
He was a gentleman and a friend. I promised to tell you more about the benefit for Blaine and Linda Nordvold. It will be on Sunday, Sept. Nordvolds lost their ranch home in a fire and this is a fundraiser to help them get on their feet. For more information, contact Jerry Vines at Smart Little Lena was 31 years old and is known for being a performer, and then a phenom in the siring categories.
On a brighter note, one of the biggest, contiguous, deeded ranches in the world, the Bell Ranch in New Mexico, just sold in the past week or so. The historic ranch was originally a Spanish Land Grant in and was over , acres. In the historic Bell brand was registered. The ranch was broke up in , then in the s, Bill Lane Chicago business man started putting it back together.
He reassembled over 44 percent of the original grant and the ranch comprises nearly , acres today. In , manager Jeff Lane, son of Bill Lane, was killed in an accident and the ranch was then put up for sale. At the time of the sale, it was ably managed by Bert Ancell, who had been on the Bell for 41 years and hopefully will remain in that capacity. I find that satisfying and encouraging. Go Billy! She and this mare have been pards for a long time, though the mare is owned by Harry Thomas, Harrold, SD, who raised her.
