Ranch Of The Week: Major Cattle Company The Major Cattle company horse program began back in the 1930's with Mike's grandfather, Malcomb Major. The ranch was north of Magdalena, New Mexico, and it all began with calvary remount studs. In the 1950's Mike's dad, Buddy Major, bought a Leo and Hardtwist stud to up grade the horse herd for the nine ranches he had put together in New Mexico and Colorado. Buddy ran a lot of his horses on the track and had some of the best cow and rope horses around. By the late 1970's Mike was breaking most all of the colts, but desired to raise his own herd. Mike tried to buy a handful of fillies that he thought were the best of the bunch, but his dad wouldn't sell them to him. The only way Mike was going to get those mares was to break and ride five mules Buddy had purchased. Mike really didn't want to break those five mules, with all the good colts they had around, but it was the only chance he had to get Buddy to trade him for the mares. Mike really wanted the fillies, and he finally did get them, But says now, "You couldn't give me a mule today even if it had a thousand dollar bill tied to it's neck." These were the first brood mares in Mikes mare band. The first stud Mike owned was a black horse named Leovada Chick, with Leo and Three chicks breeding. In 1982 Mike ventured out on his own starting his horse operation in Vequita, New Mexico. Here Mike traded for another horse, a Mito Bars, and Sugar Bars stud. In 1989 another purchase was made, a gray stud named Joys Double Feature, Smoky. He had Beduino, Rebel Cause, and Truckle Feature breeding. Smoky was an outstanding rope and cow horse, anything you wanted from him he would give you everything he had. He was an excellent stallion with a lot of speed and cow, who won several ranch rodeos, and ropings. Several of Smokey's fillies are still in the brood mare band today being crossed on the cow breed studs. In 1990 he purchased the Flying A ranch in Fowler, Colorado, where he currently still lives. The ranch got it's name from the previous owners, Gene Autry, and Harry Knight. This is where there rodeo company was ran. In 2000 Mike and Holly were married, and it didn't take long for Mike to realize that she was just as crazy about good horses as he is. Owning, and riding several good Doc O' Dynamite horses previously Mike and Holly made there next purchase in Montana at John Scott's dispersal sale. Smart Whiskey Doc, and Dynamite Bravo Doc were purchased. Then in 2001 Mike and Holly went to the Forth Worth futurity where they purchased a Playgun colt, and a Playgun mare. At the next sale Mike was watching the horses warm up, he looked around, and dang if Holly hadn’t just bought another stud, a Doc's Stylish Oak. Still wanting a Smart Little Lena stud for there horse program; in 2003 Mike and Holly went to Virginia where they purchased Love a Little Devil, an own son of Smart Little Lena and out of a Colonel Freckles mare. Although some of their mares still trace back to some of the first horses raised by the major cattle company, 70 years ago, Mike and Holly have purchased several more cow bred mares, and continue to upgrade the horse program. They have tried to bring some of the best blood lines into this part of the country that you can get. Mike and Holly are very excited to get the crosses with these studs, and think that the colts have the ability and mind to go in any direction a performance horse could go. The hope is that people who buy colts from us, or breed to our stallions are as happy with the horses as we are, and come back again. Although the horses are a huge part of the ranch, the ranch is still a working cattle ranch. Mike and Holly work hard running a large cattle operation of yearlings every year on the Flying A Ranch, and a large cow calf operation on the Rio Puerco in Belen, New Mexico. Like the horses, the cattle have always been a main part of all the ranches. In the future they believe, anyone seeing an animal with the stik horse brand will know the quality and care that stands behind the mark.