The Cogburn Family
Ranch Origins and Name
- Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch (RCOR) is a three-generation family owned and operated ranch. To clarify from the start, the Rooster Cogburn name is our family name. John Wayne made the name famous from the “True Grit” movie in 1969 and followed by “Rooster Cogburn” in 1975. Wayne won the Academy Award for Best Actor and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama, for his role in Rooster Cogburn. John Franklin "Rooster" Cogburn, is thought to be the inspiration for the character and does trace back to our kinfolk. So, no John Wayne is not involved with Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch but we do appreciate him making the name so famous.
Founder’s Animal Legacy
- D.C. Cogburn, the founder of RCOR, has always had a knack for animals and a sixth sense. He was well-known in the rodeo world as a first-class animal trainer and entertainer. He had Snowman the Brahma Bull that jumped through a fire hoop, the 100 lb. Oklahoma Jackrabbit (an Old English Sheepdog with giant bunny ears attached), the Harlem Dogtrotters, a basketball playing group of Boxers, Minnie the Mule, and Speedy and Pedro Gonzales, capuchin monkeys that rode Old English Sheepdogs and herded sheep. In addition he was also an extremely entertaining rodeo clown and the funny man in the barrel. His love of animals and his kindred spirit with them has guided his entire life.
Family Life in Oklahoma
- After 30 plus years of being on the road and away from family, except in the summers when his wife Lucille and kids Barry and Danna would join him, he decided to retire in 1980. In Oklahoma, while D.C. was on the road, Lucille held down the chores at home which included taking care of the animals that were not on the road with D.C. as well as running the skating rink known as Roller World in Guthrie, OK. In the mid 1960’s D.C. leased the National Guard Army building and used it for a skating rink, giving many young kids a place to go for clean fun. In the mid 1970’s a new facility was built as a dedicated skating facility. D.C, and Lucille, then later, Danna, Barry, and Barry’s wife Carrie continued the tradition for over 30 years. Many young people in that town still have fond memories from Roller World to this day and the impact it had on this small community.
Entrepreneurial Ventures Begin
- D.C., always an entrepreneur, was looking for another adventure to fill his time and purchased property in Wichita Falls, TX and put in the Wild Water Slide. That was a summer business and skating was the school time business.
Rodeo and Barrel Racing
- In the mid 80’s D.C. and Danna set off on an adventure for Danna to qualify for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Barrel Racing. Of course, given D.C.’s involvement with rodeo, it was in Danna’s blood and she started competing at age three. She earned her Professional Card in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association at the age of 7 so this was a life long dream for both of them. Danna competed at the NFR, (which is the top 15 professional athletes in the world) in both 1985 and 1986. It was on a trip to Oklahoma State University Veterinary College in 1987 where Danna’s horse Pokey was having some medical evaluations done, that D.C. came across ostriches and it has been his passion ever since.
Discovery of Ostriches
- D.C. had heard about ostrich farming as it was growing in popularity in Oklahoma and Texas. Someone was at OSU with ostriches and D.C. cornered them for hours trying to learn everything he could. He was fascinated with the potential of ostrich for commercial production, which was done in South Africa but not in the U.S. D.C. ended up buying the best quality birds he could find in the U.S. but a trip to South Africa in search of more knowledge changed his path. He saw a different type of bird that was not in the U.S. The South African Black type ostrich was a shorter bird with a fuller body, more feathers and higher quality feathers, plus much more docile and higher egg producing. D.C. came home and sold all the birds he had and started a quest to get this commercial type of ostrich. Through years of hard work, quarantine egg hatching stations, and importations, he has been able to build the largest flock of high quality South African Black Ostrich anywhere in the world outside of South Africa.
Move to Arizona
- As his flock grew, he recognized that ostriches need to be in their natural climate in order to raise large numbers efficiently. Oklahoma weather was not like the hot, dry, arid climate that Africa is but Arizona was. After 2 years of looking for the perfect place, the property at Picacho Peak was located and after some wheeling and dealing, was obtained. D.C. moved to Arizona in 1993 and started preparing the ranch for ostrich. Danna and Lucille stayed in Oklahoma and took care of the breeding birds. Because you do not want to disturb the breeders during laying season, it was decided Danna would incubate and hatch the eggs in Oklahoma and then the day-old chicks were flown to Arizona weekly. This gave D.C. and his crew time to build barns, incubation facilities, breeding camps, etc. to get ready to move the entire operation in the fall of 1993. Goodbye Oklahoma and Hello Arizona!
Humble Showpark Beginnings
- The ostrich farming side continued but it was always in the bigger plan to have a showpark for people to enjoy the ostrich. They are such a curiosity and lets face it, a really funny bird to look at. After years of people stopping and looking over the fence at the ostriches, it was in 1999 that D.C. and Lucille put up a shade tent, had a folding table, and opened to the public. They sold a $2 cup of corn and people could feed the ostrich. No electricity, no bathrooms, just a tent and a bunch of ostriches. That is how it all started.
Ranch Expansion Begins
- Throughout the years RCOR has grown as a favorite spot for people to enjoy with friends and family. In 2002 a small building was built to house a few products such a feather dusters and eggshells, which until that time were loaded into a car and taken home every night. Fallow Deer were also added as another animal to feed. At some stage during this time, po port-a-potty were brought in. A couple years later we got really fancy and added a handicap port-a-potty. Anyone that visited in those days I am sure will say that we took immense pride in having the cleanest port-a-potty restrooms you would ever visit!
Additions and Attractions
- It was in 2006 that the customer’s favorite, Rainbow Lorikeet House was built. In 2007 the Monster Truck Tours came alive. Then the Miniature Sicilian Donkeys, the Goat Penthouse, the Hole in the Wall Goat Kissing Booth, Prairie Dog Village, and more all followed through the years.
Major Expansion in 2016
- It was on November 21, 2016, that the really big expansion opened. For 3 years prior, we had been working to bring water and electricity to the feeding area. That allowed us to expand and add a Clearspan Building that would serve as our main entrance, gift shop, picnic area, house the electronic shooting gallery, Monster Truck Bay and loading ramp, and accommodate the Stingray Bay pool. After almost 18 years of operating mostly 7 days a week, year around, with no running water, no electricity for even a fan or cash register, we were moving up. Everything you see in our current building and outbuildings was built by the Cogburn family and their dedicated staff. D.C. also happens to be a construction and building genius and was the mastermind and master builder for it all. He built it but Lucille ran it for years and then starting in 2003, when Danna and her husband, Craig, moved back from Oklahoma, Danna became an integral part.
Multi-Generational Operation Today
- Today, all three generations, D.C. and Lucille, Danna and Craig and their kids, Tyler and Tanner all live and work on the ranch. D.C. and Lucille are both in their late 80’s. Lucille has not been able to be involved lately but D.C. still gets up everyday with a purpose. You can catch him entertaining with his Dog and Duck Show on the Monster Truck Tour or perhaps building his next brilliant idea. Danna runs the showpark side of things but is still more than capable of hatching chicks or handling animals. Craig, after semi-retiring from the financial world after 25 plus years, is now also involved with the ranch and trying to bring commercialization of ostrich products. Tyler and Tanner both are involved with the ranch have both grown up around the business and learned a lot through the years. They had their farm chores, both with animals and with the showpark, since they were very young. As a result, they are in line to carry on the family tradition if they choose.
A Labor of Love
- This has been a labor of love that has taken A LOT of blood, sweat, and tears to bring to this point. It is definitely a calling that has been hard throughout the years. However, when you see someone’s face light up or tell you that this is the “best day ever”, watch families interact and forget their troubles for just a little while, it is all worth it. That is why we do what we do. We should all strive to make each day a little bit happier and that is what this magical little ostrich ranch does. Thank you to all our wonderful staff that makes that happen and to our amazing customers that have supported us for over 25 years.