Bonham Ranch

Fast Facts • Marshall Peavy was a fierce

competitor and had horses that could win in the show arena or on the racetrack.

• Peavy’s daughter, Biddy, married into the Bonham family and continued her father’s dream of breeding great horses.

Shortly after his birth in 1896 in Atmore, Alabama, Marshall Peavy and his family moved to Denver, Colorado, where he attended school. In 1915, Marshall and two of his brothers started ranching near Clark, Colorado. Under the influence of a neighbor, Coke Roberds, Marshall started raising horses.

Marshall settled in the Routt County, Colorado area and was well known for cattle and the horses he showed in roping, cutting and racing. He was also a founder of the Rocky Mountain Quarter Horse Association.

Marshall’s horse herd traced to Peter McCue and Old Fred, as well as other top stallions and mares. He used the stallions Bob H, Sheik, Ding Bob and Gold Heels as reference sires. His horses performed well on the racetrack, in the show ring and on the ranch.

Bonham Ranch

Facts about Horse Racing History

• The sport of horse racing had been around for centuries and only grew more prominent as America was settled and developed.

• Horse races were often run down the middle of town on the main street or in level fields.

• Race horses were a huge business and owners showed them for conformation or build to perfect breeding for speed and endurance.

• Official tracks were built around the country to house spectators and horse owners that had been bitten by the racing bug.

• Large amounts of property and cash exchanged hands on a regular basis due to race outcomes.

• Thus, breeders were always trying to create a faster and more prominent horse.

Peavy had a reputation as a fierce competitor in the horse industry. The quality of his horses could be seen on the race track.

In the spring of 1944, Marshall and Mavis moved their family and ranching operation from the mountains of northwest Colorado to the plains of northeast Colorado. They purchased the Rock Ranch in West Plains, Colorado.

Tragically, in August of 1944, Marshall was killed when his gelding Monte stepped in a badger hole while Marshall was roping a calf to doctor. Mavis, Mary and Biddy continued to raise Quarter Horses and quality cattle. Mary and Biddy had been given some horses by Marshall at an early age and were breeding horses under Marshall’s tutelage.

In 1951, Biddy married Wayne Bonham. Together they continued the breeding program started by her parents. Wayne and Biddy raised four children: Bill, Jennie Mai, Peavy and Marc.

Bonham Ranch

In 1961, Wayne and Biddy sold their part of the Rock Ranch and moved their family and ranching operation to Cheyenne, Wyoming. It was there that they raised their family to be involved in the horse and ranching industries. Today, brothers Bill and Marc are still owners of Bonham Ranch. They continue to raise Quarter Horses together as well as individually. Marc’s son Rio is the fourth generation to use these bloodlines.

Horses are still used today to work cattle on the Bonham ranch. Although they have downsized the horse operation, they still raise and use horses from Marshall Peavy’s foundation bloodlines.

Bonham Ranch