About Wagonhound
We’re a working ranch with a rich history, dedicated to thoughtful land and wildlife stewardship.
Our History
Wagonhound Land and Livestock is a working ranch spanning 300,000 acres raising some of the country’s top American Quarter Horses and Red Angus cattle.
Headquartered 20 miles south of Douglas, Wyoming, the ranch is mostly contiguous to the Laramie Range of the Rocky Mountains in east-central Wyoming. Wagonhound touches three Wyoming counties: Converse, Albany, and Carbon. The elevation ranges from 5,000 ft to 9,000 ft and supports 5,000 cows and 7,500 feedlot cattle throughout the year. The talented, strong, and steady horses required to help the cowboys manage the herd in such rugged terrain are supplied by the ranch’s own remuda.
The ranch was named after a creek which runs through the property. Wagonhound Creek received its name due to the number of wagons on the nearby Oregon Trail that, while crossing the creek, broke their “hounds,” the part of the wagon that connects the tongue and axle. Much about the ranch has not changed since the 1800’s. Tiny wooden schoolhouses from decades past stand proudly intact; the stagecoach stop where a notorious Wyoming train robber fought his last gun battle hides behind a grove of trees next to the old post office; and the 1880’s bunkhouse and red barn still stand guard at the ranch’s main gate.
Wagonhound is home to Catherine and Art Nicholas who took the reins of the historic ranch in 1999. Their vision was to honor tradition, preserve the land, and utilize innovative concepts stewarding the ranch into the future. The ranch’s vision statement, “Steadfast in Maintaining the Highest Standards”, reflects a commitment to remain steeped in history, yet aggressive in leadership.
Comprised of four divisions: Horses, Cattle, Farming and Outfitting. The integration between these separate verticals allows Wagonhound to be a self-sufficient business founded on Wyoming ranch traditions with the willingness to implement cutting edge ideas in education, technology, and management of the ranch wildlife and habitat. The ranch is a unique blend of the past with a strong vision of what will ensure success in the future. State-of-the-art facilities and programs that are second to none support continued growth, including a spacious indoor arena for winter training of the remuda, holistic management of purebred Red Angus cattle from cow/calf to feedlots, low stress cattle handling technologies, advanced herd health practices, and an expansive farming operation to build customized feeding programs for each faction. Management strives to make Wagonhound Land and Livestock as diverse as it’s landscape in order to be an economically viable operation, one that with proper care will serve the country for generations.
Stewardship
Wagonhound Land & Livestock benefits the beef, equine and livestock industries by running a highest standards quality operation that is visible to the general public, involved in community, and economically and ethically sound. This promotes a positive image of the beef and equine industries while striving to educate the public and preserve the values and heritage of the American West.
While focusing on raising quality American Quarter Horses and maintaining a productive cattle business, Wagonhound takes stewardship of the land very seriously. One of Wagonhound Land & Livestock’s main objectives is to maintain an economically viable ranch while employing conservation methods to ensure a balance between the land, livestock, farming and wildlife.
“Wagonhound takes the stewardship of the land very seriously to return the land to a pristine condition.”
— Art Nicholas
Industry Involvement & Awards
The ranch and its employees are involved in the local community as well as in the horse and cattle industries, taking active membership and leadership roles. For instance, Wagonhound Land and Livestock Manager, Dustin Ewing, has been a member of the AQHA Ranching Council as well as an active participant in other local, state and national associations.
Wagonhound is actively involved in many highly visible and progressive programs enhancing the public image of the beef industry, including the USDA Never Ever 3 Natural Beef, NHTC Non-Hormone Treated Cattle Programs and the Global Animal Partnership (GAP).
The proud recipients of the Red Angus Association of America 2015 Red Angus Commercial Producer of the Year. In 2018 the ranch received the rigorous Red Angus Gridmaster Award given to proven producers of only the most genetically capable carcass cattle. Requirements include cattle must average a minimum of 90% Choice & Prime, a maximum of 10% Yield Grade 4’s, and a minimum Grid Score of 100.
Also, the ranch offers to the public one of the industries’ leading all around AQHA sires, WR THIS CATS SMART. He is a leading sire among cutting and reined cow horses and has sired multiple champions in roping, ranching versatility, stock horse and reining. Offering breeding donations for this stallion to benefit numerous organizations including NRCHA, the Colorado State University Repro Program, Texas A & M University Repro Program, NCHA Youth, and PCCHA.
To support future generations the ranch makes numerous donations annually to many associations and educational institutions to help promote vigorous horse and beef programs including but not limited to: 4-H, Future Farmers of America, American Quarter Horse Association, American Quarter Horse Foundation, National Cutting Horse Youth Association, Pacific Coast Youth Association, Horseman for Christ Ministries, Fallen Hero Stallion Service Auction, Colorado State University, Kansas State University and Texas A&M University.
“Wagonhound Land & Livestock consistently works within the industry and community to support, educate and grow their greatest passions; American Quarter Horses, Red Angus Cattle, Responsible Conservation of Land, and the western heritage way of life.”
— Art Nicholas
Wagonhound Land & Livestock was the 2018 recipient of the Zoetis AQHA Best Remuda Award Winner: Watch the video.
Produced by AQHA
