Threefold & Thriving

by Melissa McGee Buehler & Hilary Rossow

photos courtesy Thomas Ranch

W hen looking at a county map of South Dakota, you will find Sully County sitting near the middle of the state. This area, known for being home to some of the most prolific beef producers in the nation, is well suited for the beef business. The terrain is composed of semi-arid rolling hills, partially devoted to farming, but mostly native grass pastures. This topography also lends itself nicely to pheasant and deer hunting. The western border of Sully County is defined by the meanderings of the Missouri River. The Thomas Ranch is located near Harrold, SD, a don’t-blink town on US Highway 14, with summer grazing and farm ground in the western part of the county as well. There are 5,000 acres surrounding the home ranch plus another 4,000 acres that is leased for feed and pasture.

The Thomas Ranch got its humble beginning in 1931 when Alvin and Gebe Thomas purchased 320 acres of land where the main ranch headquarters sets today. Alvin’s son, Harry, graduated from SDSU in 1964 and returned home with his bride, Kay, to manage the ranch as a partnership with his parents. Harry and Kay had two children, one son, Troy, and daughter Tracy. As Troy and Tracy grew up on the ranch, they had the opportunity be involved in the beef industry and show at many cattle shows including numerous state fairs, Aksarben, Denver, Kansas City, Louisville and Houston.

Troy married VeaBea in 1985, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Taylor, in 1987, while ranching with Troy’s parents. In 1989, they moved to Cimarron, Kansas, where Troy managed the purebred herd for Dewey Charolais for five years. In 1990, Taylor was joined by a sister, Calyssa or “Cally”. Troy and VeaBea returned to Sully County in 1994 and joined Harry and Kay in partnership with the cattle operation. In November, 2001, Taylor tragically died in a car accident driving home from school. Taylor left a lasting imprint on this earth making many friends through Junior National shows and showing champions across the US.

Cally attended high school in Highmore where she was on the State FFA and 4-H Livestock Judging Teams. Her teams traveled to many competitions throughout the United States. She also rodeoed in high school with 4-H and South Dakota High School Rodeo and did very well with an Illuminator mare as well as other mares and geldings. Cally attended two years at SDSU where she qualified for College Finals Rodeo both years. She transferred to Kansas State University (KSU) for her last two years of college to rodeo and compete on the livestock judging team. Cally served two years as an American International Junior Charolais Association (AIJCA) Area Director while in college as well.

Once Cally graduated from KSU, she returned home to the ranch where she helped with daily operation as well as marketing cattle and horses. Cally married Clint Kindred in June of 2017. The couple now lives near Oral, SD, where they farm and ranch with Clint’s family. Cally returns home frequently and continues to do the social media marketing for the Thomas Ranch, while also working with cattle sales and managing the horse operation with her grandfather, Harry. Cally and Clint have the broodmares with them in Oral, but the ranch horses that are still used on the main ranch have remained in Harrold.

THE HORSES

A successful horse-breeding program is run by Harry and Cally focusing on sound, good-minded barrel racing horses. Structure and intelligence are key, and most young stock get a chance to work first as ranch horses. Any colt that stays on the ranch long enough to be ridden will have been around and trailed cows when training. Horses up to five years old are used when doctoring calves, branding and checking cows during calving season. Cally says, “Some people think horses bred this way aren’t cut out for these common ranching jobs, but we have a lot of fun on them and think putting them to work in this environment is key.” Cally’s husband, Clint, manages the breeding side, while Cally markets the top-end horses to high-caliber consignment sales and private treaty sales throughout the year.

Thomas Ranch has produced some of barrel racing’s most recent rockstars including “Dolly” (TR Dashing Badger), who was jockeyed successfully by Jill Moody to four National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifications, two reserve world titles, two NFR average titles, and over $800,000 in lifetime earnings. Cally now rides a full brother to Dolly who has several big wins and over $100,000 in earnings. The ranch stands a stud that is a full sibling to Dolly who is a 1D and Pro Rodeo money winner. Many of the nation’s top barrel racing stallions are used in the operation, but Cally and Clint like to use elite cutting horses or lesser-known sires, too. “We like to have something that not everyone has,” commented Cally.

THE HUNTING

In 2007, the Thomas Ranch started a commercial hunting preserve for pheasant hunting. The ranch has an extended hunting season with pheasants in abundance. Special hunts are available, as well as larger bag limits. In addition, professional hunting guides are provided, and are accompanied by some of the best bird dogs in the country. The season runs from October through December. With the ranch being located along a creek, there is plenty of water all winter and the pheasants feed with the cattle and in their food plots. Hunts can be tailored for the more experienced hunter or the not so adventuresome hunter. Harry, his brother, Jerry, Rafe, Harry’s grandson, and a good friend, Jamie Nye, are the hunting guides. Kay lines up all the hunts. VeaBea and Laura cook for the hunters while they are on the ranch, hosting 300 to 400 hunters per year. Because the ranch is located just under an hour from the State Capitol and the Pierre Regional Airport, travel to the area is not hard.

THE CATTLE

Harry and his friend, Matt Sutton, purchased their first Charolais cattle from Texas in 1964. Not long after, they added the Avignon breeding line from Nebraska to the herd. Harry felt this line of cattle had more maternal traits than the imported cattle, and they adapted to the Sully County environment more easily. Soon after, Simmental cattle were introduced to the United States. Harry and Matt decided to continue their association in the cattle business and formed a corporation to produce purebred Simmental cattle. The original partners included Matt, John and Ken Sutton, Harry Thomas, and Bob Levis. The group held their first bull sale in 1972. After the death of Mr. Levis and expanding interests of the other members of the corporation, the Simmental herd was dispersed in 1986.

As the demands of the beef industry changed through the 1980’s, the Thomas Ranch saw that commercial customers were starting to demand Black Angus genetics, so in 1991, they added a purebred Angus herd to the predominately Charolais herd. Red Angus were also added as demand grew for that unique breed and in 2009, the ranch stepped back into the Simmental breed. Besides the purebred seedstock, there are approximately 100 head of commercial cows in the program that are mainly used in the embryo transfer (ET) program as recipients. In November, 2015, the ranch hosted a total Charolais dispersal. At that time, many of the investors who purchased donors asked Thomas Ranch to manage those females. Through this agreement, the ranch has been fortunate to recreate a Charolais herd in recent years.

Currently the ranch calves about 800 cows each spring. Angus, Charolais, Red Angus, and SimAngus along with the commercial cows calve in spring and fall. Most of the herd is calved from late February through May, with approximately 150 head calving in the fall program. The heifers are artificially inseminated (AI) off natural heats for one cycle in mid to late May. Cows are AI’d from June first through July first each year, with fall breeding taking place in November.

The ranch has utilized artificial insemination since 1963. EPDs on birth, weaning, and yearling weight, rate-of-gain, scrotal circumference as well as maternal traits are all considered in selecting AI sires. “A top priority in our program is visual appearance along with structural correctness. We realize that the value of performance records and visual appraisal need to complement one another,” stated Troy. Cattle are culled for structural correctness, disposition, performance, fertility, and general health. The cattle run in big pastures; therefore, the ability to travel to water and feed in all kinds of weather conditions is a must for their survival.

While Troy and Harry make the operating decisions, the ranch has several employees that work to keep things moving smoothly. Harry is also in charge of the farming. VeaBea puts out fires and keeps everyone on the right track while also managing the office. Mardy Knodel has been with them full time since 2002 and is a huge asset. Laura Tostenson came to the ranch in the fall of 2015 and works full time to oversee the cattle records and registrations of all four breeds in the office as well as working chute-side when needed. Bill Gortmaker started at the ranch in May of 2019, and Brandon Bertsche started this September. These men work with the cattle directly in the daily management of the herd while also helping with haying and farming.

Known for their “eye” for good cattle across many breeds, Harry and Troy have both been fortunate to have judged shows all over the United States and Mexico. VeaBea says, “Our biggest successes through the years here at Thomas Ranch are the friendships and acquaintances that we have made with the people in the cattle industry. We feel that our repeat customers are a tribute to our reputation.” The Thomas family attends the South Dakota State Fair, National Western Stock Show, Black Hills Stock Show, and Charolais National Shows, to meet and visit with past and prospective customers throughout the year.

The Thomas Ranch will host its 48th annual bull sale the second Tuesday in April in 2020. The 3rd Annual Fall Born Online Sale is the first Monday in April. 2019 marked the 18th Annual Private Treaty Steer and Heifer Sale, on the third Wednesday in September. And, the ranch will also host their 3rd Christmas Classic Online Sale the second Tuesday in December.

Seventy-five percent of the annual bull crop sells in the bull sale. In 2019, the ranch sold 120 Angus, 55 SimAngus, 30 Red Angus, and 50 Charolais bulls. The bull sale also offers 100 head of heifers. The remainder of the bulls are sold private treaty at the ranch. Most years, a few of the top end bulls sell to purebred breeders, but the majority of the bulls are marketed to commercial cattlemen.

Thomas Ranch is proud to have added to the genetic battery of the Charolais breed by raising and promoting numerous national Grand Champion bulls and heifers. Other accomplishments that Thomas Ranch is proud to have achieved include winning the prestigious “Challenge Trophy” in 1994, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, and 2018. This trophy is awarded by the Charolais Association at the National Show. The trophy is retired to the breeder when it is won for three consecutive years in a row. The Challenge Trophy is proudly displayed in the Thomas Ranch office.

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- Troy Thomas

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TR MR FIRE WATER 5792RET and M&M OUTSIDER 4003 PLD have been two influential Charolais herd sires for Thomas Ranch. Firewater was the Show Sire of the Year from 2012 – 2016 and has 3742 registered progeny. He is now 14 years old and is living his days out at Coudron Charolais (one of the owners) in Monticello, Minnesota. Outsider has been a force in the showring the past couple of years. To date, he has 637 registered progeny and has been named Show Sire of the Year in 2017 and 2018. A notable female raised by the ranch, THOMAS MS IMPRESSIVE 0641, has had a major impact on the Charolais breed, producing numerous national champion bulls and heifers. She has 291 registered progeny and has been cloned.

After being in the cattle business for many years, Harry was honored with the Stockman of the Year Award at the 2002 Black Hills Stock Show (BHSS) in Rapid City, SD. Troy was named Charolais Herdsman of the Year in 1987. The Thomas Ranch were honored to receive the American International Charolais Association (AICA) Seedstock Producer of the Year as well as the AICA Environmental Stewardship Award in 2008. Following in Harry’s footsteps, Troy and VeaBea were honored as Stockmen of the Year at the 2018 Black Hills Stock Show.

Serving in leadership roles in the beef industry has always been important to the Thomas family. Troy has been a director of the Charolais breed, chairman of the Charolais Activity Committee and sits on the Advisory Board for the BHSS. He is currently a director for the SD Angus Board of Directors. Troy, VeaBea, and Cally are also serving on the hosting committee for the 2020 Charolais Junior Nationals that will be held in Brookings, SD, next summer. VeaBea is President of SD Beef Breeds, sits on the SD Beef Industry Council, and serves as the Federation Director as well as co-chair for the Consumer Trust Committee. She also serves on the Operating Committee of the National Beef Council that allocates Beef Check-Off dollars.

With multiple breeds represented, and many irons in the fire, the goal and breeding philosophy of the Thomas Ranch is still to produce cattle that are profitable for their commercial customers. VeaBea said, “We strive to improve our current genetics and to produce the perfect animal, which we all know is an ongoing process. It is vital to keep our ranch in business for the future generations to continue the family legacy.”

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