A 4-H GIRL AND HER JOURNEY TO... TOP OF THE CLASS

By Sharee LaRue

Oh, where to start with Cross Country Ranch, a prominent powerhouse in the Northwest Barrel Racing Stallion industry that is rapidly making its presence known across the US? With founder and owner, Scottie Johnson, that’s where.

The Beginning

Ms Johnson was born in Tucson, Arizona, “We always had horses including “that” pony from hell, which I started out on,” said Johnson. She eventually moved on to her mother’s horse, Tall Win, which was extremely well broke. “Mom heavily preached light hands, and Tall Win taught me that light hands are all I needed, as anything more and he would overreact. To this day, I love to use the lightest hands I can whether it’s a mare, youngster, or stallion.” Johnson’s grandmother Flossie started a women’s riding club in Tucson called the Saddlebags and that combination is how Johnson got her first horse, Arthur.

In junior high, the family ventured into competition. Johnson joined 4-H competing in western pleasure, showmanship, and trail classes. 4-H and gymkhana provided her with a taste of speed events like barrel racing, poles, and other games. “Up until then, our main pastime was focused on daily trail rides. We had amazing riding country in the wide-open countryside of the Catalina Foothills. We rode along streams, raced down the washes, and high tailed it down the open dirt roads.”

“I found walking boring, and I loved to lope everywhere! I often got in trouble if Mom found out that I’d gotten my horse too hot, so I did my best to have my horse cooled out before I got home. I couldn’t help it... I just loved to race and the exhilaration of galloping. Horses were freedom to me.”

Johnson’s second horse was a solid appaloosa named Diablo. “He was the first horse I trained on my own.” Diablo was sold to help fund her college education in which she was striving to be a veterinarian. “It was the adult thing to do but I was really mad at mom, as I loved him so much.”

After college, she stayed tied to the horse industry by joining the fast-paced lifestyle of the track. All inspiring jockeys start on the end of a pitchfork and that is exactly what she did. After paying her dues, she moved on to galloping horses and then on to be a jockey. She raced mounts at Longacres [Seattle, WA] and Portland Meadows [Oregon], Exhibition Park [British Columbia], Canterbury Downs [Minnesota], and a few Northwest bush tracks [racetracks where local horses race]. She later moved on to be a trainer, which is at the top of the track food chain focusing on tracks in Salem and Portland Oregon. At one point her training stable featured 12 horses.

Johnson turned to a career as a FedEx driver for a different lifestyle. After a 12-year stint with FedEx, she found her way back to the horse industry by purchasing a nice Thoroughbred stallion. Abstract was a three-year leading race sire in Oregon. Even though she loved the Thoroughbred genetics and bloodline, she had a fascination for assisted reproduction. She left the Thoroughbred scene as she needed to own a breed that would allow it and The Jockey Club Registration did not. This decision led her to the AQHA and little did she know where that choice would take her.

Buying The Judge

AQHA stallion, Judge Cash [Judge], was standing at Painted Rock Ranch, now know as Juniper Ridge Ranch, in Terrebonne, Oregon. Scott Melton, who managed Judge for Jim Carlson at the time, said that Carlson had decided to sell Judge. Melton thought Johnson should buy him. “I didn’t know a dang thing about quarter horses. I didn’t even know what the All American was, a speed index, or who Dash For Cash was. I didn’t know anything, and I wasn’t impressed with Judge as he only stood 15.1…nothing like the big gallant Thoroughbreds.”

“After Scott had given me the whole spiel on Judge, he could see the deer in the headlights look and finally summed it up. ‘Scottie, Judge is what they call a Super Horse. He is bred right, looks right, performed at the top, was proving to be a decent sire on the track, and had amazing semen!’ That right there was what I was after! The super semen!” stated Johnson.

She pulled the trigger hoping it would be the right choice to forward her desire of assisted reproduction. “I just wanted a good horse I could do lab work with. I had already bought all of Scott’s lab equipment the year prior and had not found a use for it.” She left Painted Rock with Judge in the trailer on her way to her home in LaPine, Oregon. Now, at the time, the property was not a ranch at all. “It was 40 acres in the middle of the forest that I carved out some paddocks in.”

At this point, Johnson had no idea of what a business plan was nor a forethought on what the future would look like. “Heck, I didn’t even have a farm name until I was forced into it. I was telling my mom my predicament of not having farm name and she said why don’t you use my business name.” Jan, Johnson’s mom, sold real estate in Tucson and it was called Cross Country Ranch Realty. She was closing the doors, so Johnson thought that Cross Country Ranch [CCR]was a fabulous name for her equine dream.

So, what is an inspiring lab rat to do with a newly purchased stallion in a registry she knew nothing about? She needed MARES! Did it stop there. Nope. She had to build a barn as she had zero shelter at that time and bought more panels than any “one person should be allowed to have.”

As all horse owners know, the list of required supplies to build a breeding facility doesn’t end with a barn and panels. Johnson mortgaged her house, used up all her FedEx retirement, and still needed more money. “I had bought way too many mares, and between Abstract and Judge, I quickly became overwhelmed. I went broke. My house was in foreclosure, my pickup got repossessed, my only wheels, and they kept trying to repossess the Kubota RTV. I could always hear the tow truck coming and I would drive out into the woods with it until they left as I needed that machine badly.”

Eventually, she got her pickup back, and her dear friend, Kim Wilkerson, helped save the house and property. “A lot of angels saw my situation and were so good to me back then. My friends Barb and Roxanne showed up on the day I was feeding my last bales and offered to buy a load of hay. There were too many friends to count or name, but Sherry Evertson was certainly one that wasn’t going to let me die, as I can tell you, life was not good at all at that time.”

“I had never had bad credit or was short of money until then as I always had good paying jobs. Losing everything, including getting horses repossessed, was a tough thing to go through. Creditors called endlessly, and they were not nice, I can tell you that. I did eventually lose the Kubota as well, and I can’t tell you how it rewarding it was to pay for another in full cash about 10 years later.”

Along with Johson’s countless friends, her never quit stubbornness, her endless grit, and a lot of talks with God, she got through those times. “In fact, it was during that time in my life I started to believe that God was real. I would be pretty low, and I’d pray for at least the ability to smile, and an hour or two later I’d notice that hey, I’m smiling! It was like a freaking miracle.” A lot of things came from pleas to him, and she soon learned that somehow, he would always come through if she just asked. “I guess what the word says, is true. I always wondered why they talked about a testimonial, and I didn’t understand what it was until I realized it is just sharing your miracles, experiences, or angels that were there to help with farm projects all from the goodness of their heart. I

Ccr At Sunset

FUN AT CCR...ALWAYS ON TWO WHEELS

BUILDING CREW - TINA, TAMI, ROBERT [THE VALUABLE RANCH HAND], JANET

WINTER AT THE RANCH

Reproduction Path

If you think that was a huge undertaking, what was the horses and equipment be worth without education? “I went to a UC Davis reproduction course on behalf of a suggestion from Dr Trish Kentner, who was my vet at the time. She happened to be an outstanding repro vet and I was lucky to have her as my mentor.” After completing the course, Johnson proceeded into her first season with collecting, preparing, analyzing, and shipping semen. Even though her dream was to become a vet, due to life’s path, she basically became just like a vet. “I just learned through hands on, rather than through a decade of schooling. Not everyone gets that blessing, nor thinks that ‘I can do that’.”

“Everyone told me the most important thing was to not send bad semen. That, coupled with my “very anal step by step” work ethic in the lab, I right of the bat was sending out quality semen.” She spent a tremendous amount of time studying techniques and had Dr Kentner to guide her path.

The Judge

She booked 18 mares that first year. “Poor Judge probably wondered where he had moved to, and why was he so bored as he had always worked pretty hard during past seasons.” She did live cover a few times as she had a huge respect for those that hand breed and “shit” can sure go sideways. “I’m sure every live breeder can tell you entertaining stories. That goes for collecting off a phantom as well. No two stallions are alike, and the variables are many, so it can be quite adventurous.”

Judge was indeed a great siring son of Dash For Cash, but it took many years before those outside the Northwest would give Judge a shot as Texas, Oklahoma, and everywhere else had other established sire lines and farms they were use to using. “We were just small potatoes with a really nice stud. I tried to convince folks that they really do want one of his babies.” Eventually, one state at a time, a Judge would be born there. “Once they had one Judge, they definitely had to have another. They were like potato chips. That’s why we made it.” Judge progeny were the real deal and each time he had another National Finals Rodeo [NFR] qualifier, people would discover who he was. “Nowadays, many people are regretful that they didn’t get one before.”

The Mare Herd

Just a great sire doesn’t always make for outstanding foals. Johnson has always believed they need bloodlines from the greats. In the beginning, she was focused on direct super star blood and did not consider second generations as the same. “Quality was important, so beings I didn’t have a big budget, I started with old mares that had been there done that. I was the Regu-Mate [a trusted solution for managing the reproductive cycle in mares] queen my vet would say!”

She had to sell her entire Thoroughbred mares as no one wanted Judges out of them. She then transitioned to all AQHA mares. “Like most farms, I’ve had some very special ones, like a half-sister to Strawberry Silk, a half-sister to Louie’s dam, etc. Looking back, I think it would be better to carry less mares that were higher quality. But basically, I acquired what fell in my lap if it appealed to me. I have to say that Judge bought us most of the mares as I often bartered. I’ve always been into bartering as I think everyone wins when you do.”

“I probably never had less than 10 mares at one time, and as many as 30 or more. Bad Girl! As I was always trying to sneak a new mare into the herd.” Janet, who is Johnson’s significant other, would be the one that would say she could only get another mare if Johnson lost one, as in she could replace her. “I don’t know how many times I used the same mare’s name as the reason for permission to allow a new mare into the herd. A few months would go by, and I would say, ‘this one replaces Dancer.’ Then a few months would go by, and say, “this is for Dancer’s replacement,’ and then I would snicker to myself. But in reality, Janet was right. My advice to others would be to keep your numbers down as too many will break you!”

Johnson went on to make a pact with her mares that when they came to her she promised them they would have a home for life. “I think that came back to me in its own way as I sure felt blessed with my mares. Not always the best business plan though!” Out of those mares, she produced almost 200 offspring. She never sold a mare.

JANET WITH HORSE TOYS

INHERIT THE WIN WITH HER FOAL. SHE IS THE DAM TO ONE OF JUDGE’S UP AND COMING STALLIONS, MOON THE JUDGE.

Standing Outside Sires

Johnson noticed that other stallion stations just stood sires for people so she figured it would be a way to produce more income the ranch. The first outside horse was On A Gator [Gator]. “I ran across a photo of him one day and wondered where had this horse been and why did it seem that no one knew him as his female line was tops!” Gator, a beautiful gray, was a full brother to FM Radio, Gun Battle, and Lions Share Of Fame. “I called Beto Orsi, Gator’s owner, and literally hustled the stallion. Beto was interested so my good friend, Tammy Bailey, and I flew down to Texas to see him. We liked both Beto, and the stallion, so we made a deal and up to the Northwest came Gator.”

“Gator was HOT with the breeders by our second year. Any new stallion takes a while to gain traction unless they are one of the big futurity stars or something to that effect.” Beto took Gator back down to Texas after two years which was “unfortunate as I think he would have gotten 75-100 mares that year.” Johnson respected him for the decision, and they are still friends to this day.

Prior to Gator going home, Cameron and LeAnne Mulrony called Johnson as they were buying a Corona Cartel stallion and inquired about Cross Country Ranch’s fees. They ended up choosing CCR to stand him and that is how she got Best Advice. “That was quite an honor for me as he was a very nice stallion and my work in the industry was finally starting to get noticed.”

The phone was ringing, and stallion owners were interested in CCR. Guys Pocket Coin, A Firewater Twist RB, Judge My Class [a son of Judge out of a Biankus mare], and CFour Paddy Okelly were one by one added to the CCR line up. “By then we were on the map!”

Johnson With Gator

Breaking Into The Barrel Pen

The ride down her chosen path had not been an easy entrance into the barrel industry as she was not a can chaser, nor had she yet become an established breeding farm. Her journey took years to gain ground. “It certainly did not happen overnight. I made sure I treated my customers with the best of customer service, became a farm where our fertility rates were very high, and took very good care of the mares at our farm.” Those traits along with always being timely with shipments, sending doses of good quality semen, and producing champions eventually paved the way

Mulberry Fame

In 2016 Johnson bought Mulberry Fame [Church], as she knew Judge was getting some age on him and if she was to continue on, she should get another while Judge could help “shore him up.” Church was a son of Dash Ta Fame [#1 Leading sire in the Nation in the barrel arena and the racetrack] and out of Mulberry Canyon Moon [a lethal futurity mare that won three rounds at the NFR with earnings of over $350k!] “It was Gods blessings that the Fruth’s, Church’s owners, picked me out of all the folks that tried to buy him. Staci Fruth to this day is a very good friend to me.” Unfortunately, Church passed this year from colic surgery complications. It was a heart-breaking loss in Johnson’s life but with banked semen, he will carry on as his first group of foals have hit the barrel pen champions.

ENTIRE SPRING HANDLING STALLIONS DURING JOHNSON’S CHEMO TREATMENTS

Flinging Dinero

In 2019, Johnson added Flinging Dinero [Maverick] to her stallion roster. His breeder, Aimee Kay, had emailed Johnson in 2017 when he was just a youngster. “I really wanted him and did a bit of homework, but then I received a cancer diagnosis and had to put the brakes on. Somehow by divine intervention this colt came back across my path when he was three. He was owned by Spencer White, who had inquired about some Judge colts I had, so we did some dealing. Bam, I owned Flinging Dinero a son of A Streak of Fling crossed on one of the most successful mares at the time of PC Frenchmans Hayday [Dinero, a 7X NFR qualifier], LK Shezapeasadinero.

Maverick

Pieorities

In 2021 Johnson decided to sell the ranch and move to sunny Arizona to help take care of her mother. “Eventually the years caught up with me, and I decided to sell the ranch but that didn’t stop me from buying another stallion.” Lance Graves, a prominent trainer, helped Johnson in her quest to buy Pieorities [Rory]. Rory is by First Moonflash [$969,828 earnings, a World Record Setter at three differnt distances, multiple track records, and progeny earnings of over $45,399,424] and out of Rare Pie, the dam of Rory’s full brother who won the All American Derby enroute to over a million dollars in earnings.

Rory

The Daily Life Of A Stallion Owner

Being a stallion owner is not for the faint of heart. Temperament, looks, performance, pedigree, build, good foot, and the ability to stamp babies are not the only criteria of a great stallion, he also needs to be prepotent. “If all his babies are different, I think that sire is not producing a type that you want.” When Johnson was asked, what is the biggest struggle as a stallion owner? “Oh Gawd!” she answered. “The Hustle! You can never stop! There are new stallions every year that you must compete, compete, compete for business!”

Industry Advice

Johnson does have advice for the up and comers with decades of experience to back it up. “Don’t get too many mares, is my very first word of advice. It seems to happen to everyone. You really want quality over quantity. It’s also not going to be as easy as you thought. In fact, it is way harder than you could ever imagine. It takes about nine to ten years of breeding before you know if your stallion will become a barrel sire. Every year you see brand new stallions with brand new owners. Most of those, at least many, are never seen after the third to fifth year. Burn out and the vision owners had never happened. It was just work, disappointment, and lots of time and money.”

“I think the best move you could make would be to buy a stallion that has been breeding for five years at least, and that they had decent a decent number of mares for him each year. I think you need at least 50 plus mares a year to a stallion [100-200 would be great] to even give him a chance in the long run. If you buy one like that, much of the hard work is done. You soon know if the foals can be competitive, and if they are, you are on your way. Until then, foals don’t sell for much as the sire is unproven.”

“It’s a hard business to make money at. Most of the time you lose money, but if you get a sire like Judge... he will carry you and the whole farm. I wouldn’t change a thing about how I got where I am today as God lined it all out and I couldn’t be anymore blessed.”

The Future

Johnson’s life has slowed some since making the move back to Arizona. Not running a full-fledged breeding facility, standing all the outside stallions as well as her own studs, and all the mares and young stock has left time for sun, shorts, and traveling. She now lets others stand her stallions and loves to go to races that Maverick and Rory are entered in. “It is now way easier! Just the hustle of promotion!” Her vision is to make her three junior stallions famous. “If I get lucky enough to have another turn out like Judge, I will have been so blessed as that is rare. I had that vision almost fulfilled with Church. He is indeed producing outstanding barrel horses, so the untimely loss of him is yet just another hurdle that I will clear.”

Oh, where to start with Cross Country Ranch, a prominent powerhouse in the Northwest Barrel Racing Stallion industry that is rapidly making its presence known across the US?

With Scottie Johnson and THE JUDGE, that’s where...............................

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