Ranch History

Greetings! Originally started on 25 acres along the banks of the Tilton River near Morton, WA, CJ Ranch, owned by C.G. "Neal" & Johanna Nielsen (and ran with the help of our daughter Stephanie, son-in-law Dan, grandkids Aleksia and Brennan and our son Con), has been breeding Arabian and Half Arabian horses since 1991. We have also been showing on the Class A, Regional and National level since 1992. In 1997 we moved to a 1400 acre ranch in beautiful Council, Idaho.

From 1993-1997 we owned the purebred Country English Pleasure horse OH Bright Idea+/ (pictured right). With him Stephanie garnered the 1994 Canadian National Reserve Championship and the 1995 Canadian National Championships in both JTR 17 & Under and JOTR 17 Under. "Brighty" was also Top Ten Ladies Side Saddle English with both Stephanie and Sonya Bickford.

We own the talented purebred Reining horse Karamat+ (pictured left). "Kermit" is the 2006 Canadian National Champion AAOTR 40 & Over with Johanna. He is also a 2006 Canadian National Top Ten Open Reining horse with Sterling Bradley. Additionally, Kermit is 2006 Regions 7 & 8 Regional Champion Arabian Reining AAOTR, and 2007 Region 7 Top Five AAOTR and Open and Region 3 Regional Champion ATR, AAOTR and Open. Kermit earned his Legion of Honor in one year alone! We cannot say enough about this wonderful horse! Johanna has ridden him on the range and shows him Hunter Pleasure at Class A shows. He is an excellent babysitter for Aleksia, and when Aleksia is older she will be able to show him. Kermit's good looks and personality make him a favorite at the barn. Finally, Sterling has started riding Kermit bridleless!

CJ Ranch currently has a total of three National Championships, one Reserve National Championship, 12 National Top Tens, 12 Regional Championships, plus numerous Reserve Regional Championships, Regional Top Fives and Class A placings.

When we originally started our breeding program back on the coast we were breeding English horses. Even though we love high stepping English horses, we now breed working horses both for in the show ring and out on the ranch. While many of our foals have gone on to be ranch horses here in Idaho, a couple have also distinguished themselves in the showring. Our first foal, CJ Spotless, was the 1997 Region IV Half Arabian Western Pleasure Futurity Champion and has gone on to win many other awards in Western Pleasure and Ladies Side Saddle. Our purebred Bask Flame son, CJ Windfire, was 2004 Top Five Region 6 Show Hack AAOTR 40 & Over.

We are excited about our two youngest ranch-bred Half Arabian fillies and our Half Arabian colt (pictured right: L-R: Ol' Mo, CJ The Magician and CJ Zeebra; Aleksia in the foreground). They show potential of being really nice reiners and cow horses. All three are intelligent, tall, athletic and well muscled with a great hip and shoulder, plus they have beautifully dished heads. They are by a well-bred, well-built grullo AQHA ranch stallion, Oakies Ginger Snap. This stallion has a good head on him -- he live-cover breeds in the morning, works cattle all day and live-cover breeds at night.

Our coming four-year-old, CJ SnappleBerry ("Snap"), is out of one of the last AM Sea Captain++ daughters, HSABintu Al-Bahri (pictured right working cattle with Stephanie). HSABintu Al-Bahri has numerous Class A placings in Open and AAOTR Reining and is a nice ranch horse. Snap looks like her mother, but Snap's sire added substance to her. She has beautiful, kind, expressive eyes that add to the overall package to make her a real looker. Snap is also friendly and has allowed Aleksia to pet her through the fence since Aleksia was a year old. Johanna has started riding Snap and is pleased with Snap's progress.

Snaps' full brother CJ The Magician ("Merlyn"), a 2006 chestnut colt (pictured left looking for a scratch from Aleksia), is the best built foal we have ever had. This youngster should not only be an excellent ranch horse prospect, but he looks like he would also be an excellent sport horse prospect! He is naturally collected and bridles himself right up. If not sold before hand he may be Johanna's next hunter horse!

Our other filly was born June, 2005 out of a double Xenophonn granddaughter, Zees Pet. Zees Pet is a handy ranch horse who is not afraid to "get down and dirty" with a cow. She also has reining training. Pet's filly, CJ Zeebra (pictured on the right at right with Mo and Radar), is SMART! In fact, we've never had a horse this smart! "Zeebra" structurely takes after her Quarter Horse father more than her Arabian mother. Zeebra is friendly and buckskin to boot. This is a great reining and working cow prospect!

Speaking of foals who have gone on to be ranch horses, we have two of them here on the ranch. One, a Half Arabian mare by Bask Flame and out of a Take Heart daughter, could excel as a Hunter Pleasure mount, but she serves her purpose right here on the ranch. CJ Hot Butrd Popcorn (pictured left with Dan) managed to not only convert our (former) Quarter Horse loving son-in-law over to Arabians, but he likes her so much he bought her. Buttons is a natural at working cows and keeps her head if the cattle start running. She loves to get out and explore the range, play in the water and just be with people. For a little bit of added versatility, "Buttons" and Dan attended an Endurance/Limited Distance Ride clinic.

Our daughter Stephanie owns our last English-type foal, CJ Serena (pictured right with Stephanie). With a pedigree that includes MHR Nobility and Local Hero, plus a very upright Saddlebred-type build "Serena" could be shown Country Pleasure. Stephanie, however, has other plans for her -- ranch horse. Serena is smart, beautiful and is not afraid to get right up to a cow. Despite having been ridden only a handful of times since coming home from being broke in 2005, she has been good every time. This is going to be a really nice working horse when she gets more miles under her belt.

Last but not least, we have the geldings. Bar CL Docs Bahar (Hotrodder Disco x April Wine) is an awesome Half Arabian cutting horse. Bahar is one of the best when it comes to working cattle and knows just where to be when dealing with difficult cows or bulls. He also has one of those great Arabian minds... Stephanie showed him in Hunter Pleasure AOTR during the 2003 show season, and Johanna's practiced saddle seat and reining maneuvers on him. Behar also is excellent as a baby sitter. He knows to go slow and steady when a little kid is on board. This horse is versatile... and he puts up with a lot!

Our beautiful purebred Bask Flame son, CJ Windfire (at left on his first Limited Distance ride. Johanna up) spent his entire life on the ranch until he went off to "get a job" in 2003 with Melissa Barter-Bradley as a Country Pleasure and Show Hack horse. This is the horse we mentioned earlier who was Top 5 in Show Hack. Until his "big break," he was used on the ranch to move cattle and ride the range. At the end of the 2004 show season we brought Hank home to be a ranch horse. He's been belly deep in ponds, moved and sorted cattle, gone through thick brush, has had a 6-day-old baby sit on his back and has been ridden side saddle while a TD20 dozer (BIG) worked 100 or so yards away from him. Johanna and Hank also attended the Endurance/Limited Distance Ride with Buttons and Dan. Hank is for sale.

Be sure and check out our Sales page -- you might find your next horse!

In addition to raising horses, Johanna is a certified equine massage therapist through the EquiTouch program. This intense program involved a lot of homework and hands-on work with live horses. It also included discussions with a Master saddle maker, a western saddle maker, farrier, equine chiropractor and others. She utilizes her knowledge to help keep our horses happy and healthy.

Upon our move to our 1400 acre ranch in Idaho we decided to add Black Angus cattle. Our goal was and still is to produce functional breeding stock with low to moderate birth weights and high growth potential. Check out the cattle side of our website to learn more.

The 1400 acres that make up CJ Ranch was carved out of the land by the former owner, Woody Jones, using hands and horses. Woody created the 100 acre hay meadow and even cultivated some of the range land which makes up the balance of the ranch. Following the traditions and beliefs that created this ranch, CJ Ranch believes in balancing wildlife and domestic animals. To date we have created three ponds, put in a well on the range so there will be water year round for livestock and wildlife, and replaced ancient fences with quality ones to help keep the livestock out of Cottonwood Creek. All of these projects were done in conjunction with the Equip cost share program. Farms and ranches selected for this program must meet strict standards in order to receive compensation.

CJ Ranch – PO Box 474 – Council, ID 83612 – 208-253-6120 – cjranch@cjranchonline.com

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