King of Iron Horse Ranch

How would a stallion owner define “success?” Is it individual accomplishments gained by the stallion while in the show pen? Is it sheer quantity of offspring, or the amount of accolades said offspring have won? Is it a hoard of loyal fans that comes back year after year?

For Lonnie Ledbetter, success is defined as Lads Straw Man, because the stallion has become a steadfast sire in the ever-changing Appaloosa industry. “Lad” has consistently sired winning horses, and his cumulative traits have earned him loyal followers and loads of praise.

Pursuing a dream

Lad’s story began even before his dam was foaled. In 1969 Lonnie came out of the Navy, having served on the USS Kitty Hawk and ready to enter the horse business. Growing up his family moved around in the oil business, and he’d never had the opportunity to own horses.

After leaving the Navy, he purchased his first horse; that led to a joint venture between Lonnie and his brother, Garry, and they bought four broodmares. His uncle, Sam Nelson, had been a longtime Appaloosa owner and a well-known name in the industry—naturally, the brothers got involved with Appaloosas.

“I was a silent partner,” Lonnie explains. “We had up to 37 broodmares at one point.” Lonnie also co-owned Top Quest, a 1968 stallion by Top Hat H. and out of Gimpy’s Wimpy, with Sam, though he was still more of the silent partner. Years passed, and the partnership continued.

In 1992 Lonnie lost his brother in a helicopter accident; Lonnie moved to sell the stock they owned, with the exception of one mare in foal to a Quarter Horse stallion.

Full-text version printed in the December 2009 issue of Appaloosa Journal.
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