Welcome

Mike's father was a cowboy in California and Mike has been on or around horses since he was a toddler. As a young man, he rode as a buckaroo in Elko, Nevada, at a pack outfitter during the summer months, and on cattle ranches in the winter.

In the mid-1960's, Mike was a hand on a ranch in central California and worked there until he was sent to Vietnam. When he returned from Nam, in 1971, he was stationed in Colorado and worked in the Cavalry Reenactment to promote reenlistment in the Army. After his discharge from the Army, Mike became a cow-boss and continued cowboying and ranching in California for several more years. In 1979, Mike bought a ranch in Washington and began to run 3,000 - 5,000 yearlings every summer.

Deanie also rode her first horse before she turned two years old, and has pretty much been horseback ever since. In 1974, her folks went to work for J.R. Simplot, and Deanie began riding the school horses to improve the temperament and responsiveness of the hunter/jumpers that had soured on lessons. She also rode as a catch rider at jumping shows, and participated in Breed and Open shows.

In 1979, Deanie moved to Idaho with her folks and started riding horses for the public. She met Michael in 1980 when she and her folks moved back to Washington to run a ranch. In 1983, she moved back to Idaho to apprentice with Wayne and Marcie Peterson. She joined them in their move to New Jersey, and continued to ride cutting horses for them on the East Coast until she returned to Washington, in 1984.

Shortly after her return to Washington, Deanie went to work running yearlings for Mike, and they got married a year later. They continued to run yearlings, but also began starting colts for the public, riding about 50-75 colts a year. In 1990, they sold the ranch and bought Sagebrush Saddlery, along with Deanie's folks. They continued to start colts and worked at the store part-time.

A friend in Dayton, Washington sponsored a Buck Brannaman clinic and invited Mike and Deanie to participate. They were impressed, and in 1993 they started sponsoring Brannaman clinics in Ellensburg. Mike and Deanie began giving their own clinics in 1998, and they continue to conduct clinics, train horses for the public, and give lessons.