Since 2003, Road to the Horse has prided itself on bringing the very best American Quarter Horses to the World Championship of Colt Starting from legendary ranches across the country. Road to the Horse was proud to welcome the Pitchfork Ranch in 2024, where the ranch brought one of the largest remudas the event has ever seen. Road to the Horse is proud to welcome back the Pitchfork Ranch as the remuda partner, where they will bring their finest selection of colts to Road to the Horse 2025 on March 27-30, at the Kentucky Horse Park.
“Since 1883, the Pitchfork Ranch has prided itself on building a legacy with passionate people, producing the world’s best cattle and horses,” states Morris Equine Group President Tina Battock. “It’s an honor to have such a historic brand in our family. Pitchfork Ranch colts captured the hearts of fans in 2024, and we can’t wait to welcome them back to Lexington in 2025.”
The colts of Road to the Horse 2025 will feature American Quarter Horse pedigrees which include industry greats such as PEPTOBOONSMAL, SMART LITTLE LENA, WR THIS CATS SMART, BET HESA CAT, ROCKIN W and PLAYIN STYLISH.
Road to the Horse 2025 will welcome two separate remudas, one devoted to the Wild Card Challenge and the other dedicated to the World Championship competition. The Wild Card Challenge Remuda will feature a selection of three-year old Pitchfork Ranch fillies and the World Championship competition will consist of three-year old geldings. Fans will get to meet the fillies and the geldings when they are introduced later this month.
The Pitchfork Land and Cattle Company was incorporated with 52,500 acres of land in central West Texas and a foundation herd of 9,750 cattle in December of 1883. Today, the home ranch covers 165,000 acres in Dickens and King counties near the town of Guthrie, Texas, with a satellite operation in Oklahoma. The Pitchfork Ranch is larger today than at any time in its history. The ranch’s remuda consists of approximately 50 brood mares, 125 saddle horses and four stallions. They raise horses primarily for their own use on the ranch but do make horses available to the public through a variety of special events including the Return to the Remuda Sale.
The Pitchfork Ranch horse has a reputation that sells itself. The remuda has come a long way from the small native ponies first used on the ranch. The first improvement in the horse herd came from a thoroughbred U.S. Military remount stallion named Trimmer. This gave the cowboys horses with increased size and stamina. Seal Brown was the first quarter horse stallion purchased by Pitchfork manager, Rudolph Swenson in 1941. The stallion produced an outstanding herd of broodmares. Upon Seal Brown’s death in 1946, the ranch acquired Joe Bailey’s King, who soon became legendary. To add to the legacy were OTOE, SAVANAH JR., GRAY BADGER, GRAY DEE BAR and DASH FOR CASH. The modern bloodlines of HIGHBROW CAT, PLAYGUN and GRAYS STARLIGHT have been added in recent years. Pitchfork horses are very versatile and have been tried and proven in the pasture, rodeo arena, polo fields and performance arenas all over the world.
In addition to the Pitchfork Ranch Remuda, Road to the Horse 2025 will feature an international lineup of three world-class competitors, showcasing their colt starting abilities. These stand out athletes who will represent their country as they compete for the World Championship of Colt Starting: Vicki Wilson (NZ), Phil Haugen (USA) and Tik Maynard (Canada). The three championship competitors will be joined by the Wild Card Challenge Champion, allowing a total of four colt starters to compete for the world title and $125,000 in prize money. Wild Card Challenge competitors include Joseph Bentz (USA), Buster McLaury (USA), Cristobal Scarpati (AR) and Dustin Sippola (CA)
Road to the Horse 2025 takes place at the Kentucky Horse Park on March 27-30. Tickets are available here or by calling 800-514-3849. Follow Road to the Horse on Facebook for the latest information.
