EE Ranches
Whitesboro, Texas
EERanches.com; 903-564-3692
You’ve probably heard of Cat Ichi, the cutting stallion whose progeny have earned nearly $7 million. Those include X My Ich, on whom Dakota Kirchenschlager won the 4-year-old American Rope Horse Futurity Association (ARHFA) Heading World Title when the colt was 4, and Shesa Royal Cat, piloted by Casey Hicks at the same event to fourth place when she was 6 years old.
Read: Kirchenschlager Stuns Field on 4-Year-Old X My Ich for ARHFA Heading World Title
Cat Ichi is by High Brow Cat out of Laney Doc by Doc Quixote. In particular, ropers are loving the Cat Ichi/Laker Doc crosses as hard-stopping, powerful horses.
“It’s been really easy to move the Cat Ichi offspring into different disciplines because they adapt so well,” said owner Jo Ellard, who’s been in the cutting industry since the 1980s. “They’re really strong and really easy to train. They like their jobs.”
Aside from the ranch’s world-class stallions, it offers ready-to-roll prospects started by NCHA Hall of Fame and two-time NCHA Derby Open champion Guy Woods. Nine colts were sold this year as roping prospects to customers like World Champion Breakaway Roper Jackie Crawford, recent WSTR Finale XV #12.5 champion header Copie Dickson and veteran AQHA rope-horse breeder Jack Bogart, plus Tyler Boyd, Teisha Coffield, Glen Nelson, Grant Gilbraith, Blair Green and Kate Mote.
EE Ranches sells weanlings, yearlings, and 2-year-olds, with all 2-year-olds getting in-arena, on-cattle and outside experience under Woods.
“Cat Ichi was a $1-million-sire with his first foal crop,” Ellard said. “He’s 15.3 hands and 1,200 pounds. He’s a substantial size and real even, and the colts have been really easy to train. I think the ropers have loved that.”