AQHA Legacy Award
The Froelich Ranch earned the American Quarter Horse Association Legacy Award in recognition of 50 consecutive years of registering Quarter Horse foals. The ranch, located in Selfridge, North Dakota registered their first foal in 1947. Beginning in 1959, the ranch registered at least 1 foal each year through 2009.
The following article appeared in the December 2009 American Quarter Horse Journal.
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 four sons, Warren, Terry, Kurt and Kelly and his widow, Barbara continued the ranch's legacy.
In September, the family's annual production sale featured 40 foals.
The brothers own individual mares and stallions but work together as a family business.
The broodmare herd, now totaling approximately 50, and sire battery is heavily influenced with the roan color and Quarter Horse foundation bloodlines. Although only Kelly lives on the 20,000-plus-acre ranch, horses bring together the four 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 four brothers remains the same as their father's: to breed horses with disposition, conformation, and color.
Below is brief profile of family.
Kelly ranches and lives up the hill and around the corner from the original home site with his wife, Renee. His son, JW, and his wife, Alisha live on the ranch as well and care for the horses year round. Kelly and Renee's daughter, Brooke, is also involved in the operation.
Terry, retired, lives in Woodstock, Georgia with his wife, Jo.
The fall sale is truly the family's fall festival. It's a time to reconnect with each other and other family members. It is also a great time to see old and meet new friends.
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