Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1937-01-02

Judges Of horse flesh ever to come ID
this state.
When the Alder gulch gold discover
les started pr0gpectors treking into the
state, Varney and Farrell Joined the
throng. Varney freighted into Virginia
City from Denver, and Farrell from
/ salt Lake City. Farrell arrived first.
He It was who engaged IN the livery
/ business, having as an adjunct to it a
horse auction sale. Varney started the
horse herd. He had camp at a spring
eight miles from Virginia City, spring
which bore his name for many years
afterwards. His herd headquarters we're
at the spring and in the vicinity he
ranged the animals given into his care
delivering them to the camp whenever
they were wanted.
Partners First In Alder GuIeh
The two men became acquainted and
after q time formed a partnership
which lasted all during the Alder gulch
gold excitement. When the rich and
shallow placer diggings were worked
out, the prospectors left. There were
no more horses to keep up the herd, and
the livery business petered out. Then
the partnership was dissolved and Far
rel and Varney each entered the horse
business independently.
Farrell had a camp in the foothills
on the west side Of the Madison val
ley Eight Mile house. Varney estab-
lished his headquarters at "Scanda- |
vine," on the edge Of q big stretch of
bottom land along the east side Of the |
river. Each Of them had a hay ranch /
in the lower part Of the valley.
Farrell had 80 mares which he had |
picked up in trading and trafficking |
around, none Of them thoroughbreds, /
but good, solid stock. Then he bought /
q Chestnut stallion q xarf4frts ten
called Chief" Chief, big and homely, I
was from the Dan Rice strain He could /
pace O mile at the end Of q halter in 1
less than three minutes.
Varney also had about 80 mares of
the same class as Farrell's, those which /
had stood the long trip to Montana
harnesSed to freight wagons or under
saddles. He bought, to head his herd,
a long barreled, short legged stallion
which he named John" John was an
Oregon horse. During the years that
Varney had him he became famous as
the sire of the fastest short distance
running horses the west has ever
known.
Oregon Horse Introduced
The Oregon horse" was q type en-
tirely different from the Indian or
Texas ponies which were so numerous
over the old west. The Oregon horse
animal, dependable either
under saddle or in harness The Ore
gon horses we're brought into this coun-
try from oregon, where they had been
developed by the early settlers as q
particular strain. For many years they
enjoyed a reputation not only In the
vest, but through the middle western
states, where they were sold by the
thousands even in the late nineties.
Raflae oFaaV-f tho herds fef "a -raII and
IF Varney wandered on the open range,
he river dividing their territory, and
With scarcely another animal In the j
-cgiou to become naked with hzaeua.
Each band was carefully guarded hy It's
owner, or by some one In his employ.
Year after year the two men stuck to .
lorse raising and their herds increased. I
Either one of them would trade for /
! good horse at any time and before
ong both were recognized as the lead (
ng horsemen in that part OF the state {
or they had good stock and had built s
10 a reputation. {
Also each of them had expanded into /
he cattle business Their ranches adj {
oined and between them covered the /
TEST Of the land IN the Madison valley I
Although the two men were fast I
riends, they became, as a matter of :
act, little Jealous of each other as
heir success grew from year to year.
Join Forces for VT Brand
Then, once again, they decided to
inter- partnership In 1880 they got to-
ether one day at the old Eight Mile
ouse and drew up q simple agreement
hat in the future they would pool is
ues. They founded the firm Of Far
ell & Varney, and the VT brand was
Prior to that time Farrell
lad used TIFF as his brand. The Var
ey horses were branded with a V.
There were 100 horses In the two
ands at the time of the consolidation.
rom that time on the combined herd
rev apace and the horse industry in