free to be ranch

What free to be ranch does

Free To Be Ranch is a privately held, 330-acre working sheep and goat ranch located at 54 Curandera Rd in Mountainair, New Mexico, approximately 60 miles southeast of Albuquerque. The ranch combines a livestock operation (Dorper cross Kathadin sheep and Boer goats raised without chemicals, antibiotics, or hormones) with a herding dog training and trial facility, serving four distinct customer segments: herding dog owners, livestock buyers, agritourism visitors, and professional herding competitors.

The core product set is services-based and delivered exclusively on-site. Lessons are priced from $40 for introductory sessions to $55 for field trial training, with instinct testing at $35 and stock rental at $25 per dog per session. Infrastructure includes a 70-foot round pen, a 100'x100' small arena, a 100'x200' large arena, and open field training areas ranging from 1.5 to 160 acres, supporting progression from beginner instinct tests through advanced trial preparation. The ranch also hosts formal herding trials and clinician-led clinics multiple times per year, provides on-site accommodations (RV/trailer hookups and a two-room bunkhouse), and sells both adult breeding stock year-round and lambs twice yearly. The technology footprint is minimal, limited to a Weebly website and a YouTube channel.

The business model is direct-to-consumer and entirely on-premise: customers contact the ranch by email or phone to book lessons, tours, trial entries, livestock purchases, and lodging. There are no subscription products, no online commerce, and no disclosed contracts. Marketing relies on the website, YouTube content, word-of-mouth within the herding dog owner community, and links to organizations such as the American Herding Breed Association. No revenue, headcount, funding, partnerships, or ownership details are disclosed in available sources.

Name

free to be ranch

Legal name

Free To Be Ranch

Website

https://freetoberanch.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Free To Be Ranch is a 330-acre working sheep and goat ranch in Mountainair, New Mexico offering on-site herding dog training, instinct testing, trials and clinics, livestock sales, ranch tours, and visitor accommodations for dog handlers and rural-life visitors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Herding Dog Training and Ranch Services

NAICS

Sheep and Goat Farming (1124), Sheep Farming (11241), Goat Farming (112420)

SIC

Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic/Regenerative Sheep & Goat Production (AFAEAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Grazing & Pasture-Based Operations (Range, Rotational Grazing) (AFAEAFAG), Animal Welfare, Handling & Stockmanship Audits/Training (AFACADAL)

Keywords

• Herding dog training
• Working ranch services
• Livestock breeding stock
• Agritourism tours
• Dog training facilities

Headquarters

HQ city

Mountainair

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Dog Training and Lessons: Dog training services including instinct testing, lessons at various skill levels, and stock rental for experienced handlers. Revenue generated per session/per dog.
2. On-site Accommodations: RV hookups and bunkhouse accommodations offered to customers visiting for multi-day training or trials. 30 AMP at $25/night, 50 AMP at $30/night, bunkhouse rooms at $25/night.
3. Livestock Sales: Sale of Dorper sheep and Boer goat breeding stock. Lambs available twice yearly, adult stock available year-round.
4. Ranch Tours: Ranch tours offered by appointment, providing an overview of the facility, working dog demonstrations, and seasonal baby livestock viewing.
5. Trials and Clinics: Entry fees and participation fees for herding trials and clinics hosted at the ranch multiple times per year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Free To Be Ranch operates a 330-acre working sheep and goat ranch in Mountainair, New Mexico, offering herding dog training lessons across all skill levels, instinct testing, livestock (stock) rental for experienced handlers, formal herding trials and clinics, guided ranch tours, and on-site bunkhouse and RV accommodations. The ranch also sells Dorper sheep and Boer goat breeding stock raised without chemicals, antibiotics, or hormones.

Product overview

Free To Be Ranch is a 330-acre working sheep and goat ranch and premier stock dog training and trial facility offering a comprehensive suite of services for herding dog owners. The core offerings include herding dog training lessons at multiple skill levels, instinct testing, herding trials and professional clinics, livestock (Dorper sheep and Boer goats) for sale, and ranch tour experiences. Accommodations are available via on-site bunk house and RV hook-ups. The ranch features multiple training arenas, a 70-foot round pen, and open range areas up to 160 acres for dog training and skill development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Herding Dog Training Lessons Training lessons for herding breed dogs at all skill levels, including introductory, beginner, ranch training, arena trial training, and advanced field trial training disciplines, offered to individuals or groups.
• Instinct Testing Assessment service conducted in a round pen with trained personnel to determine whether a dog has natural herding desire, priced per dog with group rates available for 3+ dogs.
• Stock Rental Livestock rental for experienced dog handlers to practice herding skills on the ranch's sheep and goats, with session lengths and stock options discussed individually and approved by ranch ownership.
• Herding Trials & Clinics Formal herding trial competitions held several times per year where handlers and dogs work specific courses, plus periodic professional clinics conducted by top national trainers and judges.
• Dorper Sheep Breeding Stock Dorper cross Kathadin sheep sold as breeding stock, including ram lambs and proven breeder ewes, raised without chemicals, antibiotics, or hormones on free-range pasture with grass and hay feeding.
• Boer Goat Breeding Stock Boer goat breeding stock available year-round for purchase, raised under the same ethical, chemical-free practices as the ranch's sheep.
• Ranch Tours Guided by-appointment tours of the facility featuring livestock overview, working dog course demonstrations, and seasonal baby lamb and goat viewing experiences, with group rates available.
• Bunk House Accommodations On-site overnight lodging with two rooms (one queen bed, one with two single beds), shared bathroom, and limited kitchen space, available April through October for multi-day training or trial visitors.
• RV & Trailer Hook-ups Electrical hook-up parking for RVs and trailers with 30 AMP at $25/night and 50 AMP at $30/night options, plus dry camping with water available for purchase at $5 per fill-up.

Quantifiable outcome

• Variety of sizes of enclosed areas for beginner to advanced teams, plus open areas up to 160 acres for skill development

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Tanaka Farms: Southern California agritourism operation combining working farm with tours, on-farm experiences, and direct sales. Comparable as a multi-revenue agritourism business monetising on-site visitors, though with produce rather than livestock as the hook.
• Tanque Verde Guest Ranch: Long-established Arizona dude ranch offering ranch experiences, lodging, and programs. Compares as a broader incumbent in the agritourism / guest-ranch space where Free To Be competes for rural-experience discretionary spend.
• C Lazy U Ranch: Colorado luxury guest ranch combining working ranch activities, lodging, and on-site recreation. Compares because of the same multiple-revenue-stream model (lodging, activities, on-site dining) anchored to a ranch property.

Others

• American Herding Breed Association (AHBA): Industry body that sanctions herding trials and clinics — Free To Be explicitly references AHBA resources on its site. Compares because it governs the very trial format in which the ranch competes and hosts events.
• Boer Goat Producers of America: Industry/breed organisation supporting Boer goat breeders and buyers in the U.S. Adjacent rather than competing — Free To Be raises and sells Boer goats and is exposed to the same breeding-stock buyer pool.
• Dorper Sheep Society of North America: Breed registry and industry association for Dorper sheep in North America. Relevant because Free To Be sells Dorper cross Kathadin breeding stock and the registry shapes buyer expectations and pedigree documentation in that market.

Direct peers

• Lazy R Ranch: Texas-based working ranch that combines sheep herding with stockdog training and trial hosting on a similar model of working-ranch-plus-training-facility. Most directly comparable because it sells the same combination of training lessons and trial events to the same herding community.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCXBqiY3Mn3T2CX6GswaYpOQ?feature=watch
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/free-to-be-ranch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about free to be ranch