Harold & Debbie Kruger have just recently reorganized what was formerly known as the "Diamond Kruger Ranch", into a Limited Liability Company; now known as the "Kruger Ranch, L.L. Company..." Not only have they reorganized their business, they have also reorganized their lives!
Last May they moved from their home of 17 years in Fernwood, Idaho to their new ranch located near Hayden Lake, Idaho.
The new facility is located between Idaho Highways #95 & #41, and can be seen while traveling, across the Rathdrum prairie on Hayden Avenue.
The facilities include a 36' x 60' barn with tack & feed rooms and an inside wash area. A 100' x 180' outdoor riding arena is already being utilized for weekly riding lessons with visiting trainer/ instructor, Terry Thom. Outside horses are housed in individual, custom-made pipe panel pens. With seven acres currently producing alfalfa hay, Krugers will be reseeding to provide grazing pasture for several grass paddock areas. A hot walker & a treadmill are also available.
With the construction of a 60' x 84' indoor riding arena attached to the existing barn the first step in the Kruger's expansion plan has just recently been completed. Future plans allow for the addition of more stalls and another outdoor riding arena. A large shop is also available for Harold to work on his logging equipment. Again, horses play a significant role in the Kruger's lives, as Harold is an independent logger who does a great deal of work for horse people wanting to selectively log their property for better grazing & development.
Harold & Debbie are better known as the owners of two remarkable registered Paint Stallions. "My Macho Man", a beautiful black/ Tobiano Stallion, was purchased by the Kruger's as a weanling and has been shown every year of his 14 years and is still going strong. He recently won several timed speed events at the North Idaho Fair Horse Show. But the most famous of the Kruger herd is the chestnut/ Tobiano Stallion, "Machos Scat Man". Bred and raised on the Kruger's ranch, this horse has the distinction of being one of the first Paint horses to be positively identified as a homozygous stallion. The testing, as done by the Spotted Horse Genetic Research Group, has been the subject of articles written in the APHA Journal and the Idaho Farmer-Stockman Magazine. As a breeding stallion, this certification enabled the Krugers to guarantee the white tobiano color pattern on ALL of his get.
While both stallions have been successful in the breeding barn, they are also successful in the show ring. In 1992, "Macho", was 7th in the Nation in the A.P.H.A.- O.C.A.P. program for gaming events. "Scat" has earned an A.P.H.A. Superior Western Pleasure rating, as well as points in Halter & Barrels. Both stallions have been and are still being shown by the Krugers. As Sires, a 10 year old gelding by "Macho" was recently judged Grand Champion Paint Gelding and was stalled in the horse barn at the North Idaho Fair. A yearling colt sired by "Scat" was judged as the Grand Champion Paint Stallion and judged as the 1995 Reserve World Champion in the Open Sweepstakes Reining at the American Paint Horse Association World Championships Show in Reno, Nevada. "Scat" has sired 122 colored foals, with 30 mares due to foal in 1996.
The Kruger Ranch facility has also become the meeting place for the Kaniksu Reined Cow Horse Association, Inc., of which Debbie is a Director and the Secretary/Treasurer. The downstairs of their home is an office/meeting area with a separate outside entrance for easy access. There is even a room set aside for the editing of video/audio tapes which Debbie does for her own horses as well as for others. The video capability comes in handy for the 4-H youth she has been leading for the past 12 years, and she hopes to get a group together next year.
Harold and Debbie are very pleased with their move and their new facility. Their master plan for riding clinics, lessons, boarding and an expanded breeding business are already underway. The close proximity of their facility to friends, customers and the variety of horse related activities make for a busy schedule; especially with the door always open to visitors. Debbie said, "The best thing about loving horses, is the horse people you get to meet everyday!"
You can contact Harold & Debbie by stopping by or writing to Kruger Ranch, L.L.C. - W. 5055 Orchard Avenue, Rathdrum, Idaho 83858 or by calling (208) 687-9404.
