"Our character is an omen of our destiny, and the more integrity we have and keep, the simpler and nobler that destiny is likely to be." - George Santayana
The ranch offers a variety of services including year-round mare care (including domiciling mares for the Oklahoma Bred Program), sales preparation, lay-overs, public arena bookings, and soon international isolation and export of horses overseas. Our ideal and central location puts your horses only an hour from both Remington Park and Heritage Place, forty minutes from the State Fair Park in Oklahoma City, and three hours from Will Rogers Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas.
The founders of the Angel Spurs Ranch, David and Beverly Scheppke, have been involved in the equine industry their entire lives. Their career together began with managing the horse and cattle operations at the expansive Arabian breeding and training establishment Nodoroma Farms in Ocala, Florida. Nodoroma Farms stood nationally acclaimed stallions *Zaaris, *Czeremosz, and Nodoromas Triumph (POL). While in Florida, Beverly had the opportunity to work at Mare Haven Farms owned by Dr. William O'Reed, the legendary equine leg specialist that performed the surgery on racing sensation Ruffian. David and Beverly's shared interest in the cowboy lifestyle led them west through Kansas, Colorado, and into New Mexico where they worked on or managed ranches and feedlots along the way. David Scheppke was an always avid team roper, and Beverly had a passion for breeding horses and the cow-calf aspect.
Settling in southeastern New Mexico, they spent seventeen years managing a ranch of their own historically known as the "Angell Ranch" or the Indian Hill Ranch. First established in 1902, it was comprised of nearly twenty-four sections or fifteen thousand acres of desert landscape. Primarily a cattle operation, it was run traditionally and duties on the ranch were performed horseback. Through their experiences in the performance arena and in the demanding environments of feedyards and ranching, the Scheppke's developed strict standards of conformation and disposition regarding their horses. Together with the growing interests of their youngest daughter, Caitlin Scheppke, their horses once again became the focus and they relocated to Oklahoma in 2007.
They continue to assemble a solid breeding program based on their philosophy of versatility and soundness.
Reproduction
The Angel Spurs Ranch breeding practices are conscientious and progressive.
The ranch will stand three stallions for the 2011 season: it's cornerstone performance sire - RN Docter Pepper - being a three fourths brother in blood to EquiStat's #3 All-Time Leading Cutting Sire Peptoboonsmal. A highly versatile sire, RN Docter Pepper is bringing out the best in a range of mares. Due to his speed and good nature, he is also being crossed on race bred mares in addition to cow bred mares with the barrel and roping arenas being the focus. 33% color producing - palomino, dun, buckskin, and roan!
The ranch is excited about their young stallion - Viperous - a son of Champion Sire and Grade I performer A Cash Request, who is a full brother to Dashing Folly a two-time racing World Champion. Dashing Folly is herself the dam of Dashin Follies, who has produced the top industry sires PYC Paint Your Wagon and Ivory James, and who sold for a record $875,000 at public auction in January of 2010. Viperous' dam is a daughter of the good Streakin Dash by Streakin Six, and with foundation Thoroughbred lines beneath gives him serious outcrossing potential, as well as a link to one of the hottest Quarter Racing families currently in the industry.
The goal of the Angel Spurs Ranch's breeding program is a versatile horse who is capable and royally bred, without sacrificing soundness and basic conformation in favor of fashion. The goal is to have every foal born of Angel Spurs Ranch stock positively influence the industry - be it as an individual, or as a producer of good individuals. So when on the hunt for your next prospect, the Angel Spurs Ranch may have the well blueprinted youth you've been searching for.
Training
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"In his physical exertions, a human being has the freedom to rest as soon as his efforts become painful to him. For a horse, that is not the case. We have ways to force him to keep working, so that after a time, it becomes necessary for him to take for himself, through apparent rebellion, the rest that should have been given him simply by the decency of the rider. It is easy to understand that this not the way to strengthen the muscles and tendons. It exhausts him, and is the primary cause of his eventual ruin." - Ludwig Hunersdorf (18th Century Hessian Riding Master)
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All prospects at the ranch are started by Caitlin Scheppke.
The youngest daughter of David and Beverly Scheppke, Caitlin started her first colt at thirteen years of age. Since, she has started every prospect bred by the family and showed successfully for several years on the weekend circuts in southern New Mexico. Her horses competed in everything from Halter, to English, Western Pleasure, Horsemanship, Trail, and Jumping. Since moving to Oklahoma, she has forayed into the world of cutting and even exhibited at the NCHA Futurity. Her interests are still in cutting and quarter racing, but have expanded to include ranch sorting and barrel racing, both of which she hopes to learn more about and become competitive in.
She specializes in the starting and selling of young prospects, and her training style is versatile enough that her horses are finishing into several events including cutting, barrel racing, and roping. Caitlin has finished horses enjoying successful careers in Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. Due to her unhurried approach (and other obligations at the ranch) Caitlin usually does not take in outside horses for training, however.
Private youth riding and horsemanship lessons available.
1752 County Rd. 1390
Blanchard, OK - 73010
(405) 200-5279 or (405) 863-2896
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