The Four Sixes Ranch

The untamed, rugged land of Texas became home to legendary ranchers and cowboys as big and windy as the state itself. The vast horizon sprawled across the big-country in which they established prosperous land and cattle operations. Among them was the Four Sixes Ranch. Comprised of one-third million acres, the ranch has a storied history that began with a poker game and a winning hand of four sixes—reputedly, but not so. In true Texas fashion, it does make a good story, though.

The real history of the Four Sixes began with Samuel Burk Burnett, who became one of the most influential and prosperous cattlemen in Texas. Before the age of 20, he purchased from Frank Crowley in Denton County a herd of cattle wearing the 6666 brand. Burnett recorded the brand in 1875 in Wichita County, Texas, on the Kiowa-Comanche Reservation in 1881 and in other counties in years following.

The origin of the 6666 brand and why it was used by Crowley is unknown. But it had nothing to do with a card game. The element of luck always associated with Burk Burnett is not unfounded. His land, which supported thousands of cattle also held some of the state’s richest oil reservoirs.

The Four Sixes Ranch continues today as a forerunner in the cattle industry. As a cow/calf operation, the ranch maintains a breeding herd of some 7,000 mother cows. Angus cows and bulls produce calves, which are managed from birth through weaning and on to feedlot finishing. The quality of Four Sixes cattle is well known.

The ranch is also recognized for its exceptional horses. The brand used on the Sixes’ horses is the same one burned on the first horses Burk Burnett bought. Records reveal those cow horses were acquired from Captain M.B. Loyd of Fort Worth, who became Burk’s father-in-law. The horses were branded with the letter L on the left shoulder, as they are today.

The Four Sixes’ Quarter Horses are known far and wide with sires like Joe Hancock, Hollywood Gold and Grey Badger II. The ranch is just as well known for its horses bred for speed. Top sires in the race-bred lineup include Dash For Cash, Special Effort and Streakin Six.

The Burnett properties consist of two ranches in Texas: Dixon Creek and the Four Sixes, headquartered in Guthrie. More than a century ago, Burk Burnett began to assemble a ranching empire. As with most significant undertakings, challenges had to be met, problems had to

be solved and prices had to be paid.

Many factors have contributed to the Four Sixes success story, but perhaps the one element which the old ranch has been most dependent upon is the Burnett family characteristic of determination.