Established in 1900's...in the Sand Hills of
North
Central Nebraska in Rock County
Brown Lake is part of the Herrington Ranch.
The west side is Rock County and the east side is Holt County NE.
This picture is looking towards the southeast on
top of one of the highest hills in the county.
The lake is fed with seven artesian wells.
Herrington Ranch is home
to Ray and Wanda Herrington. Ray grew to manhood on the Herrington
Ranch with his parents, Edgar and Lela Herrington whom both homesteaded
in the Sand Hills in the 1900's.
They purchased the present day
ranch from Henry Janzen in the 30's.
Ray and Wanda were married in May of
1950 and have made this ranch their home ever since. They raised three
children; one daughter,
Joan Thorne of Adair, OK, two
sons, Thomas Lee Herrington of Clovis, CA. and
William Ray (Bill) Herrington
at home on the ranch with his wife, Becki (Wolcott) Herrington. Ray and Wanda
have eight grandchildren, Shawna Skaggs, Shareen Dearmont, Delynn
Plott, Diann Thorne, John and T. J. Herrington, Beau and Brenna Herrington and
several great grandchildren; Kyleigh
Skaggs, Phillip, Clayton and Olivia Plott, Dalton and Dalya
Dearmont, Logan Thorne and Gage Herrington. Their grandkids
spent summer vacations helping put up hay for many years. Ray and
Wanda spent many hours supporting grandchildren to ball games and rodeo's
over the years.
Honor's and Awards
Ray and Wanda were selected Commercial Hereford cattleman
of the year in 1988 for Nebraska and the family hosted a Hereford tour
and dinner that year at the ranch. Ray was also awarded the Top Notch Cowman
award at the L7 Hereford Ranch sale by the Hereford Association. He was
a regular in the rodeo arena and roped calves for several years, until
the team roping era was born. He and son Bill team roped in several
family team roping competitions winning several championships. He won
1st Place in the Old Timers Rodeo in Burwell, NE two years in a row.
He has hung up his ropes today, but not his enthusiasm for the sport of
rodeo and cattle breeding. Ray is Director for the Rock County
unit for the Cowboy Hall of Fame.
Hereford Cattle the
Foundation
The
Herrington family has been Hereford breeders for several generations,
Ray was a keen buyer of top Hereford bulls in the breed and purchased
several Grand Champion bulls. Herrington Ranch consistently had pot
loads of steers top the market at various livestock auctions over the
years. In 1998 they bred 750 head of their outstanding Hereford
commercial cows to top angus bulls.
The results,
have been fancy first cross black white face steers and heifers that
have demanded top prices by buyers. Branding time, spring and fall
at the Herrington Ranch is still done as it was generations ago.
Young calves are heel roped and dragged to the fire for branding.
Neighbor's all help each other and exchange free labor, as their
ancestors did. The ranch has several artesian wells that
flow the best water in the world along with rolling sand hills and
meadow lands that are cut for hay in the summer to feed their cattle in
the winter.
Herrington Ranch Today and the Future
Bill
and Becki have assumed management of the
Herrington Ranch today. They
love their kids, quarter horses and cattle. Son, Beau Jay and wife
Shelly and grandson Gage are the fifth and sixth generation at Herrington Ranch learning the ropes
for the future. He is a member of the Mid States Rodeo Association
and PRCA. Daughter, Brenna has returned home from attending school at Oklahoma State
University at Stillwater, OK and was a past member of the OSU Cowboys Rodeo Team.
Brenna is married to Eric Kohle of Stuart NE. He has his own
Carpenter business and Brenna works for Kaup Investments.
They also have
some fancy black white face replacement heifers for sale. Bill has several well
broke horses for sale at all times too.. give them a call.. They would
be happy to assist you. There isn't anything that makes them any happier
than showing you their horses and cattle.
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