Pushed from urban area
Horse owners happy with Hopkins Co. find

By LYNN MONTGOMERY | East Texas Edition

Duane Fisher watches one of his mares and foals check out some grain he'd offered. Duane and his wife moved their cutting horse operation to Hopkins County last year. -- Staff photo by Montgomery

May 19, 2005 - With Hopkins County promoting itself as a boon for horse owners, the county has seen a growth in "horse people."

One couple who made the move to Hopkins County after falling in love with the area is Duane and Sandi Fisher of Como.

"We just fell in love with the place. It looks just like a Kentucky horse farm with the white fences," Duane said.

Previously, the couple lived in Rockwall, but because of urban expansion, decided they needed to relocate their horse farm.

At their previous farm they lived a little over two miles from town. "Five years ago, there was not a house between us and town. Now, they're everywhere," Duane said.

"We love it out here," he added about their Hopkins County home.

The ranch is also home to the Fishers' prize cutting horses, which according to them, are a wonder to watch. The graceful cat-and-mouse game between the horse and a calf is really something to see.

One they enjoy watching is their 1993 bay stallion ALOTOFOTE (A Lot of Ote) work "is phenomenal. He just glares" at the calves.

The couple started campaigning the stud in 2004 after purchasing him in 2003. This is their first horse to campaign on the cutting circuit.

"He shows in open classes," Duane said.

The stallion, currently in training with Pat Crawford of Royse City, qualified for the 2004 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) World Finals in the Open and $10,000 Novice classes by finishing first in Area 24, which consists of eastern Texas, southern Oklahoma, northern Louisiana and southern Arkansas.

"He finished 10 points short of (qualifying for the final round of) the finals," Duane stated. The finals were in Amarillo this past February.

Ote also qualified for the Eastern National Championship in Jackson, Miss., March 7-19.

So far, Ote has won $58,289.77 in lifetime earnings, with career highlights of 1997 NCHA Open SS Finalist, 1997 NCHA Open Derby Finalist, 1998 Memphis 5/6 Open Finalist, 1998 Augusta 5/6 Open Finalist, 1998 Spectacular 5/6 Open Finalist, 1999 5/6 Non Pro Finalist, and 4th at the 1999 NCHA 10-K Non Pro.

Although the Fishers have only been in the cutting horse business for three years, they have owned pleasure and halter competition horses for many years.

We began (in the cutting business) with some broodmares, but because of the (breeding) expenses, decided to buy our own studs," the breeder said.

This year, four mares were bred to Ote.

The Fishers moved to the country-quiet town of Como, in Hopkins County, from the fast-growing town of Rockwall last year.

Sandi, a real estate agent, was looking for land when the Hopkins County site became available. They fell in love with the ranch they felt looked so much like a Kentucky horse farm.

At their previous farm they "lived two-and-a-half miles from town. Five years ago, there was not a house between us and town. Now, they're everywhere.

"We love it out here," Duane said about their Hopkins County home.

Even though Duane has ridden horses all of his life (he had his first horse when he was 5-years-old), he leaves the cutting to the trainers.

"Everybody riding a cutting horse will fall off (at some time)," he stated.

Raised in Ashton, Ill., on a dairy, Duane said he remembered his dad using horses on their farm.

"My first official job on the farm was to carry water, on horseback, to all the threshers," he recalled.

The horse enthusiast loves being around horses. The Fishers own 22 registered Quarter Horses, with many of these being broodmares and young cutter prospects.

"All our horses are cutting bred. All the studs have excellent dispositions, and we always have horses for sale," Duane said.

The excellent dispositions have been carried on in the genes to their offspring, according to Duane. He added they didn't have any problem with the colts and didn't have to imprint. The colts naturally wanted attention.

This year, the couple is "standing" Ote, Rascals Worth It (a 2001 buckskin), and Kit Blanco (a 2001 chestnut).

Duane can quickly cite the various bloodlines of the horses at their ranch: Doc Quixote, Doc Bar, Colonel Freckles, Sugar Bars, Kit Dual, Dual Pep, Peppy San Bardger, Young Gun, Playgun, Playin Stylish, Mr. San Peppy, Freckles Playboy, and Tanquery Gin.

"People are welcome to come visit," Duane stated. (The Fisher Ranch is located eight miles west of Winnsboro on FM 515.) "Look for the place that looks like a ranch from Kentucky."