Roundup on the Waggoner

Known as the largest cattle ranch under one fence in America, the Waggoner Ranch encompasses nearly 525,000 acres, covering part or all of six counties. The three D's, as it's known for the backward triple D brand, is one of the oldest Texas cattle ranches still in existence. It was started in 1850 by then 22-year-old Dan Waggoner, who had been brought to Texas by way of Tennessee by his mother and father when he was still an infant.

Today, the Waggoner Ranch still runs on cattle, but numerous oil and gas wells dot the landscape. The story goes that around the turn of the century, Tom cursed the fact that every time he drilled for water for his livestock, up came oil, too. Soon he realized what that meant to the operation and the ranch grew rich leasing the rights to Texaco.

Horses are important to the ranch, as all the cattle work is done from the back of Quarter Horses. With six stallions and band of 60 broodmares, the ranch breeds all of the mounts Waggoner cowboys ride. Only geldings are used for ranch work. The mares are sold or used to replenish the broodmare band. When an excess of geldings occur, they're sold at auction.

A place as enormous as the Waggoner has a spring roundup equally as large. It goes on six days a week, 10 weeks in the spring and then 10 weeks in the fall. The Waggoner cowboys are proud of their work and the outfit they ride for. They do things the old cowboy way on the Waggoner. Their style of dress, evident in the slide show images below, is proof enough of their commitment to roots of Texas cattle ranching.

See the slide show now!