Owned by Dr. H.B. “Woody” Bartlett and managed by Stephanie Bryant, Milton Scott, Woody Bartlett Jr. and Warren Bartlett, the Bartlett Ranch was established in Pike Road, Alabama, in 1954. Today the diversified cattle and horse operation is comprised of three properties located in Alabama, Texas and Wyoming with a combined land area totaling nearly 90,000 acres.

The Bartlett Ranch pastures and feeds out 4,000 head of steers each year, calves 1,500 commercial cows and owns more than 250 American Quarter Horses. Bartlett Ranch-bred horses are not only used by ranch cowboys as a vital part of the ranching operations, but have also been extremely successful in halter, cutting, barrel racing, roping and other rodeo events.

Dr. Bartlett’s passion for breeding American Quarter Horses has been a focus of the ranch since the 1950s.

“The goal of the Bartlett Ranch remuda program is to produce horses that look good, have a quiet temperament and can be used for any type of work on or off the ranch,” Dr. Bartlett said in the ranch’s 2016 Best Remuda application. “Bartlett Ranch remuda horses are structurally sound and correct in conformation, minimizing lameness.”

All of the 2-year-old remuda horses are started during an annual colt starting clinic each year at the Wyoming ranch. The renowned clinic, held for the past 20 years, is taught by “Cody” Bill Smith, three-time world champion Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association saddle bronc rider. At the ranch, all foals are halter broken at weaning. Care is taken to ensure gentleness is worked for and attained with the foals. The foals are handled on a regular basis for the next year and a half until they come to the clinic.

“The cowboys and horses of Bartlett Ranch are a winning combination, and the traditions of American ranching are alive and well,” said Dr. Bartlett.

Bartlett Ranch is an AQHA legacy breeder, and the ranch’s top resident stallions over the years include Handle Bar Doc, 1983 National Cutting Horse Association world champion and NCHA Hall of Fame member; Preferred Pay, a son of the famous racehorse Dash For Cash; and Watch Two Eyed Buck, an AQHA Superior calf roping, Superior heading, Superior heeling and Open Performance Champion. Dr. Bartlett recently added Very Special Playgun, a son of Playgun out of the mare Very Special Peppy, to his stallion roster.

Many of the Bartlett Ranch remuda horses have also found success outside of the ranch. A few of these American Quarter Horses include Reys Desire, Whats Your Handle, Raps Red River, Hav U Herd My Handle, Silky Rap and Aproach With Caution who have accolades in events ranging from rodeo to cutting to halter.

Dr. Bartlett and Bartlett Ranch have received recognition and awards that support the importance Dr. Bartlett places on education and community involvement. In addition to the AQHA Legacy Award for breeding American Quarter Horses for 50 consecutive years, awards include the Colorado State University Equine Industry Leader Award, induction into the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Hall of Fame and recognition as a 2005 AQHA Best Remuda Regional Finalist.

The Best Remuda Award began in 1992 and has since recognized outstanding ranches for their efforts in raising American Quarter Horses, an important tool of their trade. Any ranch that has five or more American Quarter Horse mares used to produce horses for ranch work and is an AQHA Ranching Heritage Breeder is eligible for this award. The award will be formally presented to the Bartlett Ranch during the 2016 Working Ranch Cowboy’s Association World Championship Ranch Rodeo held November 10-13 in Amarillo. Bartlett Ranch will also be recognized during the 2017 National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Convention February 1-3 in Nashville.

For more information on Bartlett Ranch, visit www.bartlettranch.com.

Zoetis is the proud sponsor of the Zoetis-AQHA Best Remuda Award. AQHA Corporate Partner Zoetis cares about the well-being of your horse and understands the serious consequences of disease. In addition to being the official equine vaccine, Zoetis is pleased to offer the Equine Immunization Support Guarantee. Learn more about the Equine Immunization Guarantee.

AQHA news and information is a service of the American Quarter Horse Association. For more information, follow @AQHAnewson Twitter and visit www.aqha.com/news.

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Founded in 1940, the American Quarter Horse Association is the largest equine breed organization in the world. With headquarters in Amarillo, AQHA has a membership of more than 260,000 people in 86 countries and has registered more than 5 million horses in 95 countries.