The Freund family focuses on family values and the Limousin breed .
by Megan Silveira
The Colorado town is called Elizabeth . It ’ s just southeast of Denver when looking at a map , but in person , the high plains stretch wide and far , adorned with short grass . Beyond the timber sprinkled throughout the town , a ridge known as Palmer Divide can be found .
In 1970 , Joe Freund found himself standing on the north side of the ridge , watching a small creek trickle to the north . He knew without a doubt he had found a landscape worthy of being called home .
Since the day his father purchased the land , Joey Freund found his paradise on Earth — Running Creek Ranch . Though nowadays the urban sprawl is slowly creeping closer , Joey and his family are staying true to their roots . They run 1,000 Limousin cows on the ranch , selling their bulls primarily to commercial customers .
“ We ’ ll sell about 100-160 two-year-old bulls , which is kind of unique ,” Joey explains . “ There ’ s not a lot of two-year-old bulls being sold , but it ’ s worked out well for us .”
In addition to their age , Running Creek bulls must exhibit performance and longevity . The country they are being turned out into after being sold is high country . At altitudes upwards of 9,000 feet , Joey said it takes a special kind of animal to thrive in Colorado and surrounding states .
“ It takes a different kind of bull to run in that kind of country ,” he said . “ Limousin bulls have always been good at that — they ’ re adapted to the environment .”
He adds that the breed isn ’ t known for being affected by high altitude disease or brisket disease . It was this unique feature that was one of the reasons Joey ’ s father first purchased their herd of halfblood Limousin in 1980 .
Joe found a man in North Park , Colorado , who needed a place to run some cattle . Six months after those cows came to Running Creek Ranch , the man was ready to sell and Joe was ready to buy . Joey still remembers the words his dad used to brag on the animals . “ He said , ‘ That ’ s the nicest bunch of cows ,’” Joey recalls . “ They required less hay and forage to maintain themselves and still were productive and fertile . They bred up well and raised nice calves . I
60 • APRIL 2022