Page 27 - 17 August 2012

Built From
Negative NothiNg
In 14 years, the Stewarts have built Double S Farm from the ground up.
When Ronnie and Bonnie Stewart bought their 52 acres in Holland, Texas, in 1998, the only thing on the property was a cattle chute used by the previous owners.
“We pooled all the resources we had,”
said Bonnie of their partnership with Panther Mountain breeder Danny Speiss. “We built it from negative nothing. We built everything here, board by board. We just built it as we needed
it. Looking back, we think, I can’t believe we did this! Then, we were just ‘kids’ and didn’t know any better; we just thought we could do it.”
If believing is half of doing, they believed themselves into business. The couple and their
by Diane Rice
37-year-old middle son, Jake—who works for them and for nearby Diamond S Ranch, which Ronnie managed for 20 years and still oversees—built barns, fences—everything.
They now stand six stallions; run a mare motel; sales prep; run what Ronnie calls
his fall kindergarten program for weaning
and providing basic ground training for youngsters; and provide semi-retirement care for 22-year-old All American Futurity winner Dash Thru Traffic and 18-year-old Dash For Cash descendant Royal Shake Em. Ronnie also serves as 2012 president of the Texas Quarter Horse Association.
Childhood SweetheartS
Their journey began as kids. Bonnie, one of five girls, grew up partly in Waxahachie, Texas. When she was in fourth grade, her aunt and uncle, who owned an insurance company, kept horses down the road at Bonnie’s grandparents’ place.
“I’d get home from school, change clothes, run down to my grandparents’ to play with
the horses, and they’d have to come get me at dark,” said Bonnie. “My aunt and uncle moved to Southlake, Texas, and I talked Momma and Daddy into letting me move in with them.”
About the same time, Ronnie moved to Southlake with his parents. “My dad, Bill, had
SPEEDHORSE, August 17, 2012 25