Golliher Family History

Golliher Quarter Horses
AQHA Legacy Award - 50 years Raising and Training the AQHA

"Chief" For over 50 years the Golliher family has been dedicated to raising the finest registered American Quarter Horses. Zoder and Margaret Golliher purchased Firefly Chief at the Denver National Western in 1948. Chief was a golden Palomino, intensely bred Peter Mc Cue. Chief was the start of a lifetime involvement with talented horses.

"Pharo" Featured On Justin Boot Ad

During this time, Margaret and Zoder farmed and ranched at Seibert, Colorado with their four children: Warren, Mary, Jim and Jerry. From riding for pleasure to training and showing, everyone was involved with the horses.

While still at Seibert, Margaret and Zoder showed Pharo, a beautiful golden buckskin gelding, by Fire Fly Chief, at the Denver National Western. Pharo won his class, was sold, and later went on to be featured in this Justin Boots ad.

In 1955, the Golliher family moved to Hoover, South Dakota, where the wide-open prairies enabled Zoder and Margaret to increase their mare bands. The ranch ran sheep and cattle but the horses were always their first love. During this time there were numerous stallions and mares added to the horse program.

Zoder Golliher and Range Duster Around 1970, Zoder and Margaret moved to Spearfish, SD to a farm that Warren purchased. Zoder and Margaret took Range Duster, their new stallion, and a few choice broodmares to Spearfish. Jerry stayed on the ranch and continued with the cattle, sheep, and horses.

In 1976 the ranch at Hoover was sold. Jerry and his wife Sue bought property between Spearfish and Belle Fourche, which they developed into a horse training facility, complete with an indoor arena measuring 100' x 225'. By 1976, the number of horses had been reduced, and the Gollihers had a band of 20 choice broodmares on the farm at Spearfish.

Zoder’s main interest now was horse racing and he ran a few colts each year. He was a hands-on owner, being involved with Range Duster's training until the day he went AAA.

It was at the race track that Zoder took his last breath, and it was the love of horses that was his last experience. After Zoder's passing in 1983, Margaret continued raising and racing very successful Range Duster quarter horses until she went to join Zoder to watch over the horse operations from above.

Warren and Jerry, along with their families have been awarded the American Quarter Horse's Legacy award for raising outstanding Quarter Horses for over 50 years. The Golliher family continues to raise and train the area's finest ranch and rodeo horses, using the very bloodlines Zoder and Margaret dreamed of...