About Us
Welcome to Our Ranch!
Christi McRoy
Owner
Our History
In 2007, John and Christi McRoy moved their horse breeding operation from Saddle Mountain Ranch in Steamboat to JC Heart Ranch in Montrose. Although we loved the horse community in Steamboat, we needed a warmer climate to raise our Quarter Horses. We also decided to concentrate on Cowhorse breeding, for Reined Cow Horses, and Ranch Sorting. In 2012 our first champion, Steady Step/Tango (RC Fancy Step and DA Steady Bar Gada) was born. Steady Step went to Casey Deary as a 3-year-old and was in the NRHA Futurity, missing the finals by 1 point.! From Casey Deary’s, Tango moved to Ben Baldus for Reined Cowhorse training. He went on to a very successful career including winning the Derby at the Colorado State Fair. In 2019 Aaron Ralston and Christi showed Tango at the National Western Stock Show Invitational Freestyle in a special tribute to John McRoy who left us to ride the Heavenly pastures in 2018. Tango then went to Cheryl Swanson to continued to be shown, earning the NRCHA Supreme Reined Cowhorse Award in 2022. Our second champion was Hollywood Big Star/Thatcher (ARC Gunnabeabigstar and our mare Dunnit Wright On). Thatcher was born in 2016. Thatcher went to Texas to Ben Baldus for Reined Cowhorse Training. She had multiple wins in Limited Open Hackamore with Taylor Peters, Ben’s assistant. She won the year end award for Limited Open Hackamore, and beyond exciting, won the Limited Open Hackamore at the World Show. She has continued to win with her new owner Evan Means. We are awaiting a full sibling any day. We’ve had many colts and most are in homes not far away.
JC Heart Ranch has been the practice home for the local 4H kids for Cowhorse and equation. We used to run summer kids riding camps, but due to fewer kids’ horses, we no longer offer lessons or run the camp. We also have hosted many clinics for both western and English disciplines and have held Ranch Sorting competitions. We have also shown at the Colorado State Fair and last year had 6 horses either bred by our ranch or currently or previously owned by the ranch.
I, Christi, am very appreciative of our wonderful facilities and location. I am also very appreciative of the dedicated helpers I have had and currently have. JC Heart Ranch is a very special place, and I feel extremely blessed to own and run this wonderful ranch.