News

12-29-08 We finally got a nice break in weather and got the opportunity to ride in the barn. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLPw2SopXb4

12-27-08 Christmas at the Polk house at Antioch. The whole fam damily was there, and, just as mom told Trent, we all have to do this once a year for our "penance". Here is some footage from our Christmas at home with Tage and then with the whole group: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQS1oTcbkfg

12-20-08 Now I am starting to think we live in Alaska. 36 below with the wind chill...brrrrr. Not even the indoor barn is inviting....we are hunkering down for at least above zero temps.

12-3-08 Just a few more days and Tage will be receiving "Dirt" from AR. We decided to purchase Dirt after Tage (4yrs) and Harry (5yrs) went to trotting and Tage got "pooped" off. It was a group vote (including Harry) that there was not enough experience between the two of them to be out doing much more than walking around the arena and Harry needed to be more challenged. Ironically, Harry found a special home where he will get to do more of what he is good at - roping - in Burlington, CO with the Sullivan family. Tage has done a nice job with Harry getting him "kid trained" but Harry is ready to run and gun and go win some ropings. I have assured Tage that Harry will write and keep in touch so I am sure we will be receiving letters from Colorado in the next couple of weeks. LOL......

11-25-08 Oooh, almost Thanksgiving and already we have had some bitter cold and windy days here at the ranch. I am fighting winter kicking and screaming - keeping everyone blanketed and trying not to get them TOO FUZZY this winter. We are so thankful for the barn to ride in, and with almost 100 head of fresh roping cattle here, plenty to do from now til spring.

10-25-08 Tage is taking to "training" Harry these days and thinks that he needs spurs as well as a "bat" (aka fly swatter). Harry has that look in his eye like "what", but I don't think he minds his new role...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCJvBqcR48I. Seeing the two of them is worth a million bucks. Tage is now 4 and Harry, his senior, at 5 years old.

10-22-08 Most of the roping cattle home off lease and our first roping will be at the Sliding S arena on Sunday, October 26. We anticipate a good turnout and look forward to our winter series ropings.

10-17-08 Ole Smokey is home!!!!! Thanks to Zeigler Transport for doing such a great job hauling for us the past month. Go to their web site for more info on their services at http://www.zeiglerlivestocktransport.com

9-28-08  Richard Phillips of Lillian, Alabama and Wayne Hadley of Kingsville, Mo arrived at the ranch for a few days on their way to SD to go antelope hunting. We had a great time gathering cattle and were thrilled to have the extra help working calves. We wish them good luck bagging an antelope.

9-3-08 We are excited to announce our recent addition to The Ransom Ranch, Sunburn Sug, a 13 year old mare with $32,000+ LTE will be arriving September 20 from Washington. We are anxiously awaiting her arrival.

8-29-08 Last show of the season for Reba and Toni. They will come home after a year of showing. Check the "Cutting Pen" page for updates on their earnings for the year.

8-23-08 Off to Hyannis, NE where the Western Nebraska Cutting Club is holding a two day cutting at neighboring ranches there. This is an important day for Trent and I as we will probably start learning to (properly) ride our cutting mares at these jackpots. It is a great place to go and work your horse, have some fun, and maybe win some money.

6-1-08 We are excited to welcome Quinten Hall to the ranch for the summer. He will be here riding horses and helping will all the chores around the ranch. Quinten is an excellent horseman and studying in equine scienc and reproduction in Colby, Kansas. Quinten also participates in college rodeo in calf roping and team roping.

4-27-08 Our first NCHA show at Wheatland, WY and both our cutting mares have NCHA money under their belt. We are very proud of how they showed and special thanks to Bo Lockhart and Jerry McMackin for all their hard work getting them ready. Watch Toni and Bo at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKMHdoAzn2Q and Jerry and Reba at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jdh1w1Ti0g

3-24-08 Quinten Hall was home from college for spring break and brought Harry over to rope. WOW! He is doing so well! See his video from Manhattan at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY8lvtiD44Y.

3-9-08 We very pleased to announce Adams Land and Cattle as one of our new customers at the feedyard. Adams Land and Cattle is located in Broken Bow, Nebraska and is at the top of their field in the cattle business. Recognized as one of the premier feeding operations in the world, Adams Land & Cattle Co. (ALCC) has distinguished itself as an innovative leader in agribusiness.  ALCC is on the forefront of introducing technological advances to the beef industry through its management practices, computer systems, and automation in equipment design.  As the largest cattle Research and R&D facility in the world, ALCC is on the leading edge of cattle and crop production with the mindset and utilization of continuous improvement processes. The mainstay of the business is to produce quality beef that consistently exceeds consumer standards and expectations of quality, value and safety. We look forward to our future with Adams Land and Cattle. For more info on them, go to www.adamslandandcattle.com

3-8-08 Harry has been seeing alot of "feet" heeling this college season. Quinten Hall has been using him as his college heel horse and today they ran a 7.7 which brought him back to the short go. We are very proud of Harry and Quinten and the pair they have made working together. Good job Quinten.

3-4-08 February and now March have been busy months here at the ranch. Monty found himself a new home to our repeat customers, Dayna and Andy Coen and several of our friends found homes for their horses as well. We also received "Raider" from WI and he is settling in. We are calving and putting alot of miles on our horses this month. Seeing some sunshine finally.

1-30-08 Bubba has found himself a new home. He will be going to Lori and Mark Dolan in Oklahoma. Congrats and good luck with Bubba. He is a cute little horse.

1-24-08 What a treat!! Once again, Jerry and Beau have arrived with two loads of cutters and plenty of time to spend cutting cattle.  With them they brought home Ed. We used him turning back and he did great. See his video link on the "Our Horses" page. Look for fresh video coming soon on YouTube on Bok Bok, Tupa, Reba, Toni, Whiskey and Cash.

1-6-08 We are calving early. Tage's roping heifers must have gotten bred early early because we have 2 new babies out of the cattle we had been roping. Ooopsie.  Time for fresh cattle. So far we have one heifer and one bull. It is a bit chilly out at night so we are stalling them until their blankets arrive in the mail. What a life for bovine and equine around here!!!

1-1-08 We kicked the new year off right with our cutting trainer arriving and spending 4 days cutting cows. We worked 10+ horses in 3 days and had a great time. Go to www.YouTube.com and type in tagesmomma in the search box for the videos. More to come as 3 days is alot of video.

12-6-07 Woody, Smokey and Red Rock arrived in Washington safely dispite the rain and snow. Darrel and Dawn jumped right on Woody bareback and were pleased with him. Dayna and Andy also gave the horses a "test drive". We are so pleased that our boys have found such great homes and look forward to hearing about their progress. 

12-5-07 Today we met Darrin Locke of Locke Equine Transport (402-460-6441).to take our three geldings to Washington. It was a teary departure, but we all got thru it - even Tage. Darrin also delivered Leo, our newest member of The Ransom Ranch. We took him home and rode him and what a nice boy...awesome handle. Look for him on "Our Horses" page. 

12-1-07 Loaded up and went to Morrill to see our horses. Ed is doing well and has successfully completed his ground training. He is polishing his manners being tied up and learning about tractors and all the other noisy things on a ranch.  Toni is progressing well. She is giving more through the rib cage. She has such a strong work ethic that she was bucking and kicking standing waiting to work a cow. Our big news is that we bought another mare. Her name is Reba. She is a 3 year old sorrel cutter. Look for her picture and more info on our "Mares" page. Watch Reba on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tTqxxKXJhE  and Toni on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYiPL9vYh3I.  Jerry and his assistant, Beau, have two cutting prospects available for sale. Look for them on our "For Sale" page very soon.

11-18-07 Today we were able to work a few horses. Branda Marsh Saner, our neighbor and prominent barrel horse trainer, came over and rode Tom for us. It was his 4th time out and he acted like he had done it in his sleep. Branda is very pleased with his progress. Branda is still taking a few select horses for her training program. You may contact her by phone at 308-538-0426. See our "Training" page for more information on Branda and her program.

11-12-07 Trent and I went to Morrill, NE to see Jerry McMackin, our cutting trainer. We took Toni and Ed with us. Toni will be getting in shape and preparing for her first show. Jerry said that Toni is "big time" - meaning she has alot of potential and makes her moves big and deep. Ed will spend some time working on fundamental ground work and round pen exercises. We were fortunate enough to be able to spend the day with Jerry and watch him work the many horses he has started.

11-3-07 Trent and I recently purchased a 6 yr old cutting mare named Toni. She arrived today and after a long haul, we turned her out in the indoor barn to run. I think she was glad to stretch her legs. See her play at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew0pVp69lEI. Watch her cut at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gis5bj5x_sk. Special thanks to Andy and Jayme Meier for the opportunity to own Toni. Look for more pics and info on Toni on our Mares Page.

11-2-07 We sold calves at Lexington Livestock Market. All our heifers went back to the country for cows. We were very pleased with how the calves sold.

10-17-07 Trent, Tage and I have finished the 6 horse runs south of the indoor barn. Our Sparky III arrived today (used 2005 trade in model). Just in time for the rainy weather tomorrow. Go to their web site for more info www.smartsteer.com

We have been blessed with alot of rain the past week and have spent the majority of our time in the indoor barn riding horses. Worked the cattle on sorting and tracking and even Tage got to practice. Not bad for a 3 year old gelding and a 3 year old boy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDn1W5Uxjrc

9-28-2007 Met our good friend, Slade Thorpe, in Torrington, WY.  Slade took Woody so that he can start "seasoning" him this fall. Slade is roping off of Woody and doing great on him.  Slade's passion is roping so we are excited to have Woody in his very capable hands. You can see Woody on our "For Sale" page.

9-20-2007 Time to precondition calves and ship out customer cattle to go home. Lots of miles horseback today and had to switch horses. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYj6u_mRsHM