Owner of NFL’s Rams buying the Waggoner Ranch

[joe817]

"The historic W.T Waggoner Ranch, which stretches over six counties and 520,000 acres northwest of Wichita Falls, has been sold to Stan Kroenke, the billionaire sports mogul who owns the National Football League’s Rams, which he recently moved from St. Louis to Los Angeles. Terms for the deal were not disclosed. But the working ranch, which includes thousands of cattle, hundreds of horses and oil wells, had been listed with an asking price of $725 million.

The Waggoner is the largest U.S. ranch within one fence, measuring 800 square miles. The King Ranch, based in South Texas, has more acreage spread over several parcels. Briggs Freeman Sotheby said the deal represents the largest ranch sale by acreage and price in American history.

With 6,800 head of cattle, the Waggoner is also one of the 20 largest cattle ranches in the U.S. and is known worldwide for its quarter horses, which number 500. The ranch also has 1,000 oil wells, 30,000 acres of cropland, and an abundance of deer, quail, feral hogs, waterfowl and other wildlife.

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/news/busin ... rylink=cpy

[K.Mooneyham]

Yeah, it's huge. It takes up the whole southern half of Wilbarger County, where I live, and parts of 5 others, IIRC. We'll see what this guy is going to do with it, only time will tell.

[WildBill]

Yeah, it's huge. It takes up the whole southern half of Wilbarger County, where I live, and parts of 5 others, IIRC. We'll see what this guy is going to do with it, only time will tell.

Maybe he'll open it up to hunting exclusively for Texas LTC holders, with special privileges for forum members.

[Tracker]

He ain't going to get the oil wells, though. Those royalties will be split among the family

[RoyGBiv]

Yeah, it's huge. It takes up the whole southern half of Wilbarger County, where I live, and parts of 5 others, IIRC. We'll see what this guy is going to do with it, only time will tell.

Maybe he'll open it up to hunting exclusively for Texas LTC holders, with special privileges for forum members.

Wake up Bill... You're dreaming again!

[jb2012]

From what I've heard he intends to keep it a working ranch, and keep the hundreds of people it employs. The guy owns several other large ranches. Also from what I understand they would only sell it to someone that would keep the tradition alive.

[joe817]

He ain't going to get the oil wells, though. Those royalties will be split among the family

Well, one would think that, but that's not true. As it's under a judge's liquidation order, the mineral rights go with the sale of the ranch:

"The Waggoner family will retain 25 percent of the mineral rights in any sale, suggesting they believe there’s petroleum to be found in the vast swath of the ranch that has not been explored."

I found that blurb, and a LOT of fascinating information about not only the sale of the ranch, but also the history of it. It's a fascinating read:

"On Christmas Day 1909, W.T. “Tom” Waggoner gave his three children land, cattle, and horses valued at $6 million—about $150 million in today’s dollars. Waggoner, whose kids called him Pappy, wasn’t even that wealthy yet. He was a cattle and horse man like his father, Dan Waggoner, who started buying acreage around 1850. The ranch went from large to vast after the Waggoners earned $55,000 selling longhorns on a Kansas cattle drive in 1870"....."Watering cattle was a challenge then, as it is today. Tom Waggoner was irked that his ranch hands kept finding crude oil when they drilled for water. He calmed down after the rise of the automobile. Rogers joked, “I see there’s an oil well for every cow.”....."Cowboys with names like Pig Eye and Banjo tended a cattle herd that grew to 16,000 head. The brown stallion Poco Bueno became the first quarter horse ever to be insured for $100,000. After he died, in 1969, Pokey, who sired more than 400 foals, was buried standing up beneath a trapezoidal 4-ton slab of granite, per instructions left in E. Paul Waggoner’s will."

http://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015- ... -for-sale/

[howdy]

This guy married a Walton (Walmart). He has lots of money. And I married for love!!!

[Sidro]

Tracker wrote:
He ain't going to get the oil wells, though. Those royalties will be split among the family


Well, one would think that, but that's not true. As it's under a judge's liquidation order, the mineral rights go with the sale of the ranch:

"The Waggoner family will retain 25 percent of the mineral rights in any sale, suggesting they believe there’s petroleum to be found in the vast swath of the ranch that has not been explored."

I found that blurb, and a LOT of fascinating information about not only the sale of the ranch, but also the history of it. It's a fascinating read:

"On Christmas Day 1909, W.T. “Tom” Waggoner gave his three children land, cattle, and horses valued at $6 million—about $150 million in today’s dollars. Waggoner, whose kids called him Pappy, wasn’t even that wealthy yet. He was a cattle and horse man like his father, Dan Waggoner, who started buying acreage around 1850. The ranch went from large to vast after the Waggoners earned $55,000 selling longhorns on a Kansas cattle drive in 1870"....."Watering cattle was a challenge then, as it is today. Tom Waggoner was irked that his ranch hands kept finding crude oil when they drilled for water. He calmed down after the rise of the automobile. Rogers joked, “I see there’s an oil well for every cow.”....."Cowboys with names like Pig Eye and Banjo tended a cattle herd that grew to 16,000 head. The brown stallion Poco Bueno became the first quarter horse ever to be insured for $100,000. After he died, in 1969, Pokey, who sired more than 400 foals, was buried standing up beneath a trapezoidal 4-ton slab of granite, per instructions left in E. Paul Waggoner’s will."

joe817 I knew Pigeye and Banjo, both were very good gentlemen and better than average Cowboys. The one was never called Pigeye but that was one of his favorite words to use along with some select curse words at the same time. You should of heard him cuss when a calf ran into his leg and broke it. The broke leg didn't bother him as much as having to cut that $60 boot off his foot did. His wages at the time was bout $210 a month so boots were a very dear possession to have to buy. The horse is not standing up as the story goes and I know this for a fact. Sad thing to see the ranch sell but so goes life.

[joe817]

joe817 I knew Pigeye and Banjo, both were very good gentlemen and better than average Cowboys. The one was never called Pigeye but that was one of his favorite words to use along with some select curse words at the same time. You should of heard him cuss when a calf ran into his leg and broke it. The broke leg didn't bother him as much as having to cut that $60 boot off his foot did. His wages at the time was bout $210 a month so boots were a very dear possession to have to buy. The horse is not standing up as the story goes and I know this for a fact. Sad thing to see the ranch sell but so goes life.

Sad indeed Sidro. But the buyer has several other working ranches, so he might keep it intact. Hopefully that's the case.

You're lucky to have known them. Not very many full time cowhands around anymore.

Talking about Poco Bueno, when I was growing up in Clay County, we raised Quarter Horses. Dad bought one of Poco Bueno's fillies from E. Paul(IIRC) back around 1960 or 1961. Our stud was named King Jess, son of King P234. The foal from that pair was Dad's pride and joy. Sold her for a pretty penny too, but only after she won 1st place in several of the area's quarter horse shows.

Ahhh, thanks for the memories.

[JRG]

He now has quite a lot of places to go shoot. Big ranch!!

Joe

[joe817]

He now has quite a lot of places to go shoot. Big ranch!! Joe

No kidding! And with 33,000 acres in feed crops, can you imagine what happens when dove season comes around?

I believe somewhere buried in the following article/link that somewhere in the squabbling amongst the Waggoner heirs, that somebody proposed in lieu of breaking up the ranch they start selling hunting leases. I dunno....it's in one of these 3 links I've posted.

http://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/sh ... ner-ranch/

The story being told about the history of the Waggoner Ranch is steeped in opulence, high living, riches, oil, cattle, etc, etc, etc. Zane Grey himself couldn't have written a more interesting story. It puts the TV series Dallas to shame....and this is all true!