Rural Missouri - May 2021 - 18

Top left: Guests at the ranch can take advantage of clinics held under the 125-by-200-foot covered arena. Above left: Elle Jolley leans back as
her horse practices stepping down from a ledge at the mountain trail obstacle course. Above right: Brandy takes some time away from her busy
schedule to enjoy the trails on her mule CoCo. The ranch has 25 miles of trails that include this water crossing on Lake Creek.

and served by Central Missouri Electric Co-op, features
dump trailer to be able to do gravel. It was like this huge
25 miles of trails groomed for horseback riders. There's a
chain of events for us to get started on this. "
campground with 40 electric sites and four cabins. A huge
Today the couple can look back on the determination
covered arena is used for clinics and competitions. Horses
that turned the Century Farm into the Von Holten Ranch,
can be stabled in a 10-stall boarding barn, while there are
a place where trail riders can bring their horses, camp in
94 covered stalls for guests. On top of all that is a onecomfort and learn new skills.
of-a-kind mountain trail obstacle course that builds new
One frequent visitor is Melissa Jolley, who brings her
skills in horses and their riders.
daughter, Elle, and her horses to the
" It's like ninja warrior but for
ranch from their home in McLouth,
" We want people to have
trail-riding horses, " Brandy says of
Kansas. " This is more of a vacation
the obstacle course. " It's got bridges
for her, " Melissa says of her daugha gateway to the Ozarks
so large you can walk a horse over
ter, a competitive barrel racer. " Barit and another horse under it at the
rel racing can be stressful. Here she
experience. We are trysame time. The course is designed
can relax. We have a living-quarters
ing to give them a reato increase safety for trail riders and
trailer so when she doesn't have anyhorses. It gives them an area to
thing going on we can just hang out. "
son to stay a little longer their
practice going up and down ravines,
Another draw is the remote, priover rocks, bridges and logs that are
vate location that makes it a destinaand do a little more. "
different elevations. So when they go
tion where female riders feel wel- Brandy Von Holten
trail ride anywhere else their horses
come. " It's so nice, " says Pam King
have been exposed to this stuff. "
from Holt, who visited the ranch in
And that's just what is available
March with her horse, Bugsy, for a
for the equine crowd. David used lumber recycled from the
clinic. " It's clean and it feels safe. The people are so much
farm's many outbuildings to add a wedding and event barn
fun. You can sit down with anyone and strike up a converto the mix, along with an outdoor wedding venue. There's
sation. "
also an outdoor amphitheater that has hosted concerts,
The nearly 300-acre ranch, located southeast of Sedalia

RURAL MISSOURI | MAY 2021

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Rural Missouri - May 2021

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