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About Us Another Chapter Begins…at Windward Stud A lifelong dream of Frank and Robin Merrill, Windward Stud began in 1972 with the purchase of 100 acres of cow pasture in Purcell, the heart of Oklahoma. Transformed into the Quarter Horse industry’s foremost breeding and training facility, Windward Stud stood a battery of top racing and performance stallions including Boon Bar, Boston Mac, Casady Casanova, Docs Sug, Gallo Del Cielo [Rooster], Jim J (TB), Lady Bugs Moon, Last Hurrah, Mr Impressive, Mr Melody Jac, Peponita, Rebs Policy (TB), Shorty Lena, and others. At the height of its operation, the Merrill’s Windward Stud spanned three ranches and 600 acres, and supported 30 employees. Among those were Bill Witman, current manager of the world-renowned Calumet Farms in Lexington, Kentucky, and Rick McLin who owns and operates an Elmore City, Oklahoma, cattle ranch and also manages a large recipient broodmare band. Witman and McLin were key to the operation in the early ‘80s when the Purcell outfit stood 17 stallions, bred 1,000 mares and foaled 800 horses a year on rotating 12-hour shifts.
The Federal tax reforms of 1986 and sudden downturn in the oil industry took many people out of the horse industry. While farms around them pushed up weeds, Frank and Robin held on, and by the 1990s, successfully switched their operation to performance horses. As the Merrill children, McKenzie, Megan and Tyler chose to follow their parents lead showing in the cowhorse and cutting industries, Windward Stud reflected the family’s pursuits standing stallions from those disciplines until 2003 when the couple decided to focus their talents on the development and sale of young performance prospects. On October 17, 2003, horsemen across the nation gathered to bid on the horses and equipment offered in the Windward Stud dispersal sale. For many, it was an opportunity to obtain a piece of history more than 30-years in the making. For others, it was the chance to visit the beautiful grounds of Windward Stud, which during its commercial breeding operations had stood 92 stallions and bred 25,000 of the industry’s top mares. Today, Windward Stud welcomes new owners—Bill and Barbara Cowan and their daughter, Lisa Cowan Huestis of Havre, Montana. The family finalized their purchase of the historic 140-acre operation October 17, 2006, the three-year anniversary of its dispersal.
The new enterprise, Cowan Select Horses LLC at Windward Stud, is a natural fit for ranchers Bill, Barbara and Lisa, who share the Merrill’s passion for well-bred, good-minded, pretty cow horses. The Cowan’s Northcentral Montana cattle ranch, established in 1888, is a sizeable commercial cow, calf and yearling operation managed by Lisa, a sixth-generation rancher. All cattle work is done horseback with Quarter Horses predominantly raised on the ranch. These horses are bred to cut, cowhorse, rein and rope. World champions and high-point earners include Zans Parson, Zan Parr Snip, Doc O Mister Hawk and Hey Houston. Frank and Robin remain onsite, lending their expertise and services to the new venture, as are veterinarian David White and trainer Andy Sherrerd. We invite you to join us as Cowan Select Horses LLC at Windward Stud writes another exciting chapter in the history of the Quarter Horse performance industry.
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