2019 SDQHA LEGACY RANCH FAMILY

Our History

Louie Krogman was born on January 18, 1902 in Sibley, Iowa.  He was the seventh of fifteen children. In 1906, his father, Frank Sr., his mother, Agnes, and family moved from Iowa to a little place called Dixon, SD. On May 10, 1917, the family moved to Mellette County and homesteaded ten miles north of White River, SD.  On the ranch, Louie helped with the horses. One season his father shipped thirteen carloads of horses back to Iowa to be sold at auction. When Louie was young, his father always had 75 to 100 broodmares on the place. They always had 12-15 stallions in their stud barn, which were mostly work horses. Louie and his father would go around the countryside breeding outside mares for other farmers.

In 1930, grass was short so Louie, his dad, and his brother went looking for grass. They liked the land south of White River that did not have any fences, so they leased land along the Little White River.  Louie lived in a dugout on this land for three years tending to cattle and horses. 

In 1934, Louie married Lillian and to this union three children were born (Ronnie, Barbetta, and Dorothy).  The family lived in a 12X14 shack west of the Little White River until Louie later bought a place on the east side of the river, which is where Louie Krogman ranch is today. Louie always ran a lot of horses on his place. One summer he sold 2500 head of horses off of his ranch. He sold 600 to a man by the name of Art Watson in one day. That same fall he sold 728 through the sale ring in White River, which Louie owned.
In 1949, Louie married Eunice and to this union five children were born (Stanley, Casey, Steve, Lorena, and Neil).  Eunice is now 94 years old and still living on the ranch. Louie was a horseman and he owned and raised several different types of horses on his ranch throughout the years. His Quarter Horse business began at the 1950 Denver Stock Show when he bought the AQHA yearling stallion, Tom B Glover, who stood Grand Champion at halter that year. Louie kept many mares out of Tom B Glover and built his Registered Quarter Horse herd from that foundation. At that time, AQHA inspected the mares and the ones approved were simply called “Krogman Mare.”
Louie always had a goal of having a ranch horse with speed. He raced several horses from 1953 until 1976. Two of his favorite Quarter Horse race stallions were Leo 3 and Folly Bird. Their progeny went on to excel at rodeos in barrel racing and roping events. Over the years there was a shift away from the race horses with the use of Paprika Pine, Zippo Blue Pine, Smart Little Romeo, Playlight, and Watch Jo Pac. 
The Louie Krogman family has grown and grandchildren are now a big help in keeping the ranch going.  Steve, Lorena, and Neil, each of their spouses and their grown children, along with Ronnie and his daughter Janelle, own stallions and mares on the ranch.  

In addition to horses, cattle have also always been a focus on the ranch. In the early years, primarily hereford cows were raised, but now the ranch consists of black Angus and black baldy cattle. For the past several years, the calves have been sold on Superior Livestock. 

Louie passed away on December 6, 1991 and his legacy continues through his eight children and numerous grandchildren.