Born in 1920 of German-Russian immigrants, John Froelich grew up with horses on the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in North Dakota where horses were a necessity to harvest wheat, make hay, feed cows and ride to school. 

In the late 1940s, John bought an American Quarter Horse Stallion and two mares. As his family expanded, so did his broodmare herd. His seven children each had to have at least one horse. Dinner table discussions were often dominated by talk about the horses rather than his prized Hereford cattle. John preferred palomino horses that were quick with a petite head.

John died in 1993. His five sons, Warren, Terry, Rodney, Kurt and Kelly and his widow, Barbara continued the ranch's legacy.

In September, the family's annual production sale featured 80 foals.

The brothers own individual mares and stallions but work together as a family business.

The broodmare herd, now totaling approximately 100, and sire battery is heavily influenced with the roan color and Quarter Horse foundation bloodlines. Although only Rod, along with his son Lance and Kelly live on the 20,000-plus-acre ranch, horses bring together the five brothers every fall to prepare for the sale and are the focus on numerous telephone conversations throughout the year.

Although the color and scope of the horse herd has changed dramatically since the early years, the goal of the five brothers remains the same as their father's: to breed horses with disposition, conformation and color.