Russell Freeman is a Colorado businessman, rancher, and breeder of Longhorn cattle and Quarter Horses. He has been raising Hancock horses since 1994 when he bought his first stud-horse and brood of mares from his former father-in-law, who got him started in the horse raising business.   

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Today, Russ still runs some mares out of the original mares from his father-in-law and credits those solid genetics for giving Freeman such a strong start in the horse business. 

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He is a Colorado native and grew up with horses and cows, and raised dryland wheat in eastern Colorado. At one time, Russ' grandfather was the most prominent landowner in the county. Still, after his land was divided between his six children, there wasn’t much left for Russ' operation, aside from one pasture and an extremely treasured brand that had been registered by Russ' great-grandmother in 1899. 

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Both Russ' father and grandfather raised horses, and he knew that he wanted to put together his own horse program as well. After college, Russ started over, and the ranches near Yoder and Kim, Colorado are all those he has put together.

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Russ is a big supporter of rural education, the National Western Stock Show, the Ride for the Brand Ranch Rodeo, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo, and the Colorado Range Riders.

Freeman Ranch would like to welcome our new colt starters, Stephen Heitmann and his fiance Aubrey Nidey, to our crew. 

Stephen and Aubrey have extensive knowledge and background in ranching and the equine business. Both grew up handling many varieties of horses and are especially familiar with the Hancock breed. 

The couple completed the horse training program through Lamar Community College.

Heitmann and Nidey will work together to give our colts a solid foundation and the training they need to reach their full potential.

They both bring a great amount of enthusiasm and fresh ideas to our horse program. We feel confident in their abilities to take our operation to the next level and provide top-notch horses to our clients. 

Welcome aboard Stephen and Aubrey! 

Jolene's ranching roots run deep. Her parents, Dave and Gailene Hamilton, own and operate a 100-year-old cattle operation just a few miles down the road from the Freeman Ranch. Between ranch life and being a competitive team roper, Jolene appreciates the value of a good horse, and she has always been fascinated with Longhorn cattle. 

Jolene is an accomplished graphic designer, and she is a seasoned professional in the field of marketing, graphic design, and public relations. 

Jolene has worked for several powerhouse companies within the rodeo and agriculture sectors including PRCA, PBR, and American Bucking Bull, Inc., the third largest cattle DNA registry in the world.

We believe Jolene's creative abilities coupled with her passion for agriculture and her sharp understanding of genetics makes her a strong and valuable asset to our team. 

Jolene can be reached at jolene@thefreemanranch.com or 719.892.0207.