The Valley Equestrian Page 10 www.theveonline.com March 2009 The Valley Equestrian Page 11 www.theveonline.com March 2009

Living the Dream: Kim and Dave Utke of Sheldak Ranch

By Ley Bouchard, Editor our dreams, and with complete confidence, The word Sheldak is synonymous with the lines that were chosen to start the Quarter he gave us a loan. Over the years, Charles Appaloosa breed. Dave and Kim Utke have “It is amazing how many folks can tell a Horse breed. In the line of stallions this never turned us down. We had to learn some loved this breed and bred uniquely Sheldak Sheldak Ranch horse by its photo” said Kim included Mighty Tim, Spittin Image, Mr. control on our own,” advised Kim. “When Appaloosas for more than forty years from Utke. In picking their breeding stock, the Exclusive. Whether potential breeding stock considering new purchases, Dave wouldn’t their home and ranch in the little town of Utke’s always stayed true to the same type. In was purchased at the Blue Ribbon Sale at say no, I wouldn’t say no, and Charles had a Sheldon, North Dakota. All the while they building up their broodmare band, the early Des Moines, Iowa or from Carl Miles, Lane smile on his face every time we walked into have been living their dream; a dream that Quarter Horse purchases were grand-daugh- Hudson, Cecil Dobbin -- those selected were his office. So when the bank remodeled, we started in a quiet unassuming manner, much ters plus two Appaloosa daughters of Three always the highest selling, proof of their eye knew we had contributed!” like they have lived their lives. Bars. It wasn’t that they were seeking that for top quality. bloodline; Mighty Tim was purchased in 1973 and pas- Kim grew to adulthood in Detroit Lakes, they had There ture bred every year from 1973 to his passing Minnesota, the daughter of owners of Evan- a vision were in 1992. He settled every mare his last year son Trailer Sales. She got her first horse in of a type many breeding. Kim said, “He was definitely the grade school, at which time the “horse bug” of horse compli- founding rock of our breeding program, bit hard. Kim’s first horse was a small gray, with a cations ending up All Time Leading Sire of National grade, mare considered to be a Hamiltonian- certain along the & World Halter & Performance Champions Welsh cross. “She was part human and a lot look. way to from our very own mares.” of fun; a good first horse to have,” said Kim. There making a “We took many rides to the top of what is was talk name for Sheldak breeding is done several miles from now called Detroit Mountain.” of closing them- the Utke home in three directions from ranch the Ap- selves in headquarters. Mares foal with respective Utke’s were very active in 4-H as children, paloosa the indus- stallions in two pastures; a stallion runs with owning the Champion horse every year. registry try. The mares that have no foals in the third pasture. Kim was never able to go to the Minne- books at Utke’s sota State Fair 4-H show with her Cham- the time; breeding Artificial insemination is seldom used. Some pion horse since the Horse Project was not Sheldak program years they hand breed a young stallion first statewide. She worked hard and eventu- slowly slipped time around, and then turn him out with his ally succeeded in getting the Horse Project convert- into gear mares for the summer. Years ago artificial statewide, the year she graduated from 4-H, ed over when insemination (AI) was used on a great old showing the tenacity as a teenager she would to Ap- they stallion that was foundered when purchased. need as an adult making a living in the horse paloosa found For his last breeding season AI was used as industry. mares. that one he was down most of the time. The Ap- person Dave grew up on a cattle farm on North paloosas who Dave and Kim employ no staff or hired help, Broadway in Fargo, North Dakota; as a boy, replacing believed even seasonally during foaling. In an aver- he worked with horses to perform harvests in the Quar- in their age year, they sell 25 foals. Their daughters fields dotted with shocks to be threshed. His ter Horse vision, Shannon and Lori help with the major task first horse, Turnip, a 14-hand dark chestnut, mares had faith of cutting wood in the fall - the ranch house crop-eared grade mare, named for her frozen were all in their is heated with wood - and help on an oc- ears, was safe and dependable. In his teens rich in knowl- casional weekend if they come home. Lori he became active in 4H shows, open shows the blood edge of helps with halter breaking of the foals in the and rodeo. of the horses, fall. Dave and Kim share crop the grain and Peavy, and hay acreage as there is too much for two to Their lives were moving in similar directions Coke and trusted do. If square bales are wanted, they put them awaiting fate’s intercession. Roberds their up themselves. If Lori happens to be out horses, integrity. the day the bales are ready to pick up, she Kim and Dave met while showing horses and were “We met will help; otherwise, Dave loads the bales by at the North Dakota State Fair when it was of the Charles hand as Kim drives the trailer along the rows. held at Fargo’s North Broadway location the Ap- Feeney, The bales are then hauled home where Dave summer of 1959. Although Kim was only paloosa explained unloads them into the barn, usually on the horse-crazy, she consented to a double-date blood- hottest summer day. with friends. Carolyn (Opie) Motter intro- duced her to Dave Utke. A time before the “If someone has a dream, with enough perse- electronic generation, email, IPods, and cell verance and insight coupled with folks telling phones, they exchanged letters and occasion- them they can’t do it, balanced with being al dates the four years while they went about told they can, they just may be able to do it,” their separate lives. said Kim. “And with a good open-minded, understanding banker like Dave and I had.” The rest is history. The Utke’s have been mar- ried 46 years and have raised two wonderful “Some may have been right telling us we and successful offspring: their son, Shannon, were crazy to raise horses,” said Kim. It is no from Wyndmere, and Lori, from West Fargo, easy life Utke’s picked for themselves, but it have blessed their parents’ lives with six is the only life they would chose even if they grandchildren: Shannon has two girls ages 9 had a chance to go back and start again. and 13 and two boys ages 17 and 23. Lori has two boys, ages 7 and 10. Lori owns a granddaughter of Mighty Tim at the Utke Ranch raising foals along with a coming 2-year-old great grandson she is start- ing on her own.