KILLIAN RANCHES
WHO WE ARE, WHAT WE DO, AND WHERE WE COME FROM
The Killian Ranch is a working beef cattle operation in South Eastern Arizona. We have raised good quality Quarter Horses out of necessity. We use these fine horses in our everyday ranch work, which exposes them to all kinds or training from roping to cutting, and more.
We have selected all of our mares based on what they are capable of, as a ranch horse, in order to produce the best quality ranch horse possible. In recent years horses have been bred and raised in stalls and barns, or soft irrigated pasture, and advertised as tough ranch horses. With Killian ranch Quarter Horses, all of our stock has been raised out in rough pastures, with little help, and horses that have not been able to withstand the tough ranch life have been culled. So, if you buy a horse from us you are guaranteed to have a horse that will be an easy keeper, be extraordinarily sound, tough, rock hard feet, unbeatable athletic ability, and the cowiness of the best cutters out there! A horse that will truly excel in any discipline you need him to.
Our family has been raising American Quarter Horses for 5 generations. Over the years we have had ranches in Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Kentucky. With these operations we have always had the need for a good cow horse. Our start in the ranch horse business was when my Grandpa's uncle Rex Ellsworth sent him some Flying Bob bred mares to his cattle ranch outside of Colorado Springs, Colorado, there are pictures of these old mares lower on this page in the photo gallery. My Grandfather Max Killian also raised some thoroughbred horses in Paris, Kentucky. He bred these thoroughbred mares to Rex's stallion Olden Times. He also bred many of his mares to another stallion of Rex's, Prove It. Grandpa Max's time in the race horse business produced several other stakes winners both Thoroughbreds as well as Quarter Horses. Whatsyourpleasure, a standout that won at Belmont Park, NY in 1979. My Dad, Mark Killian, followed in the Quarter Horse racing with a son of the Allred brothers' stud, Barjo. This horse was named Callmebarjo. A few of the mares we currently breed come from that family. He also syndicated a son of Go man Go, Midland Man. Midland Man also featured Depth Charge and Bobbie Leo close in his pedigree. We currently have a few mares that are grand daughters to this horse, that have been great producers for us. They cross very well with the cutting-type horses by contributing size, bone, and speed.
In the 1970's Grandpa Max acquired a few mares and colts by a horse called Speedy II, a son of Driftwood. One mare in particular, Speedy's Lass, has been the foundation of our horse program here at the ranch. Our mares carry this blood today, as does our stud, Killian's Mr Pep. In my experience the horses with Speedy II blood, have been my favorites. I like them even more when crossed on a Hancock bred horse.
Through the years we have had horses with great speed and endurance from the racing blood lines we had bred for years, and cow sense from the driftwood, Speedy II bred horses. We wanted to continue to improve the genetics. A few years ago My dad made a trip down to the King Ranch and bought Mr Sun Pep, by Mr Sun O lena and out of a daughter of Peppy San Badger. Also he bought a grandson of Freckles Playboy, Scoty Playful Tari. All of these studs have contributed great cow sense, athletic ability, stamina, conformation, and from Sun Pep in particular, a good quiet disposition. We have very gentle horses.
In 2012 I acquired some mares that are Leo, Joe Hancock, Poco Bueno, and Driftwood bred. They are a great total out-cross to our program. These mares came from my wife's uncle, Mark Whetten who has a ranch in New Mexico. Mark has put years into breeding these great horses. Mark also sent us his stud, CC Poco Valentine. Incorporating these mares and this stud into our breeding, I believe we have produced the perfect ranch horse. As you will see in our pictures we raise cattle in some rough, rocky country that requires a tough horse to stay sound and work a full day. With 15 to 40 section pastures, it sure enough takes a tough horse. when you ride out in a long trot in the mornings, you want a horse that will travel well and be comfortable for you, but also be tough enough to get you back home in one piece at the end of the day.
Our main ranch today, The Hackberry / One Hundred Eleven ranch, was sold to us in 2011 by the Ellsworth Family, my grandpa's cousins. My great, great grandfather William Ellsworth bought the Hundred eleven ranch in 1912 then later bought the adjoining Hackberry ranch, which was known as the "Rail N" at the time, from the bank of Douglas. Back then it was wild open country, they worked lots of cowboys, ran a wagon for their works, and lots of horses. Later this was Rex's ranch where he raised many great horses, it's very neat to have kept the ranch in the family and to continue in this business that has been passed down throughout the generations. This ranch was set up to raise horses and has been great for raising colts. There are several smaller pastures that have water in a location and feed in another, that forces the horses to travel over rough, rocky terrain. I have never seen such rock footed horses, bred as well as these, anywhere.