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, and in 1998 we began our Black Angus Cattle breeding program.
From 1993-1997 we owned the talented purebred Country English Pleasure horse OH Bright Idea+/ (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. Brighty won numerous National Top Tens, Regional Championships, Reserve Championships and Top Fives for us. Besides Country Pleasure and Side Saddle English, Brighty also was a Country Pleasure Driving and Equitation horse. This was a very special horse and we were lucky to have had him. Brighty went on to win National honors as an Amateur and Youth driving horse.
We own the beautiful and talented purebred Reining horse Karamat+/ (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. In 2008 Kermit was named U.S. Nationals Top Ten Open Reining with Crystal McNutt Brock. Kermit was the 2009 Scottsdale Reserve Champion Open with Crystal and Reserve Champion AAOTR 45 & Over with Johanna. Additionally, Kermit has won numerous Regional Championships and Top Fives in AAOTR, ATR 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 has shown 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. Kermit's even been ridden bridleless!
CJ Ranch currently has a total of three National Championships, one Reserve National Championship, 13 National Top Tens, plus numerous Regional Championships, Reserve Championships and Top Fives and Class A placings (including Scottsdale Reserve Championships and Top Tens).
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 (left), was 2004 Top Five Region 6 Show Hack AAOTR 40 & Over.
CJ Windfire (at left on a Limited Distance ride) 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 horse is out of Eliron Windcharm (mentioned below). Besides his Regional Top 5 Show Hack win, "Hank" also was a Class A Country Pleasure winner. 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 a Limited Distance Ride with Buttons and Dan (below). Hank is for sale.
We have two beautiful Arabian mares that we use in our breeding program. 
HSABintu Al-Bahri (right) is an Al-Marah bred mare by AM Sea Captain++. Zees Pet is a double Xenophonn granddaughter. Both mares are trained reiners that we have used on the ranch to work cattle and ride the range. HSABintu Al-Bahri is due in May with a foal sired by Payback Typhoon, an AM Sea Captain++ and Dreamazon+++ grandson. Learn more about the mares, including their pedigrees, over on the Foundation Horses page. HSABintu Al-Bahri is also for sale.
We are excited about our two youngest ranch-bred Half Arabian fillies and our youngest Half Arabian gelding. They show potential of being really talented horses. All three are intelligent, athletic and well muscled with a great hip and shoulder. The two older fillies, CJ SnappleBerry and CJ Zeebra, show promise as reiners and/or cow horses. The gelding, CJ The Magician, shows promise as a hunter or sport horse. All three are by a foundation-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. He also consistently sires intelligent, friendly foals.
The oldest, CJ SnappleBerry, is a 2004 model out of HSABintu Al-Bahri (pictured above working cattle with Stephanie). "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 they were both a year old. Johanna rode Snap as a 3-year-old, but didn't have time to 
continue her training. Snap just finished up having 60 days professional training put on her (Jan/Feb, 2009). She turned out really nice and will make someone a great all around horse! Snap is for sale.
Snaps' full brother CJ The Magician, a 2006 chestnut gelding (pictured left as a foal looking for a scratch from Aleksia), is the best built youngster we have ever had. "Merlyn" is taller than the girls... in fact, he towers over all of our horses except for the draft crosses. Merlyn should not only be an excellent ranch horse prospect, but he looks like he would also be an excellent sport horse or hunter pleasure prospect! He is naturally colle
cted and bridles himself right up. If not sold before hand he may be Johanna's next hunter horse! Merlyn is for sale.
Our other filly, CJ Zeebra, was born June, 2005 out of the double Xenophonn granddaughter, Zees Pet. "Zeebra" (pictured right), 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 (or something unusually colored!) to boot. This is a great reining and working cow prospect! Zeebra has 60 days professional training (Jan/Feb, 2009). In fact, she was hauled for almost 2 hours in the horse trailer; then sacked out, saddled (first time) and lunged and finally 
ridden all on the same day without a fuss – pretty cool! Zeebra is for sale.
Speaking of foals who have gone on to be ranch horses, we have two of them (besides Hank) here on the ranch. One, a Half Arabian mare by Bask Flame and out of a Take Heart daughter, could excel as a Country or 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.
Be sure and check out our Sales page -- you might find your next horse!
Over the years we have had some special horses. They have not necessarily been top show horses, but they deserve mention.
Eliron Windcharm (right) was a pretty little Country Pleasure mare that Johanna learned to ride saddle seat on. Besides being a reliable show horse "Charm" had a wonderful personality and the most beautiful eyes you ever saw. She produced one foal for us, CJ Windfire, prior to her sudden and tragic death.
OH Bright Idea+/ (mentioned above) taught Stephanie many lessons and he was definitely her horse. Despite his quirks, he was a Show horse with a capital S – the louder the crowd, the bigger the trot. He'd get all pumped up in the ring and yet when he got back to his stall he would put his head in Stephanie's lap to have his ears and face scratched.
Venetian Merchant was an English Pleasure horse that never got to live up to his potential. He had awesome hocks and he would just sit down on his haunches and go. "Merchant" was also a fun trail horse out on the range. He probably could have made someone a nice endurance horse or possibly even a reining horse.
We have Bar CL Docs Bahar ((Hotrodder Disco x April Wine) pictured left), an awesome Half Arabian cutting horse. Bahar had a highly successful career as a cutting horse on the open circuit prior to us purchasing him. While we don't show him, we do put his skills to good use. He knows just where to be when dealing with difficult cows or bulls and isn't afraid to get right in there. 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. Bahar also is excellent as a baby sitter. He knows to go slow and steady when a little kid is on board.
Karamat+/ (mentioned above) definitely ranks up there as THE special horse. He combines talent, beauty and personality into one package. He will be with us for a long time.
In addition to raising and showing 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.