Baru Forell Spillerwas the fifth generation to live on the family farmstead on the rural plains of northwest Kansas. She grew up riding and started competing at age nine in area horse shows and amatuer rodeos and hazed for her dad in steer wrestling. In the1980's she founded and directed the Oakley Stampede Rodeo and was secretary of the Kansas State Rodeo Association. She came to Texas in 1987, and from 1990-1996, Baru served five years as a communications analyst and linguist in Military Intelligence during the Gulf War and Bosnian conflict. She gained varied working knowledge in several European languages. She has a bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Foreign Language & History. Upon discharge from the military, Baru bought a place near Poolville, Texas in 1995, competed in area barrel races and from 1999-2001, worked with the Fort Worth Herd in the Historical Stockyards District.
Photo by Joe Spiller
In 2001, Baru and husband, Joe Spiller bought a ranch near Wingate. Baru starts her own colts, and concentrates her breeding program on Joe Hancock/Blue Valentine & Driftwood bloodlines with some modern outcrosses. She has written articles (including the in-depth story ofBlue Valentine) published in the American Quarter Horse Journal, Pacific Coast Journal, Cowboy Magazine, Horseman's News, Foundation QHJ, Working Horse magazine & the Australian Stock Horse Annual. Her award-winning ranch photography has been featured in invitational exhibits at the Museum of the American West in Ruidoso, NM; the Museum of the Big Bend, Alpine, TX, the annual Will Rogers Awards for the Academy of Western Artists,Cowboy & Indians magazine and several equine periodicals. She began silverwork in 2006.
To order your custom silver: e-mail Baru Phone: 325.673.6662/days Phone 325.743.2461/eves
2000 Ft Worth Stock Show, Ranch Girls Invitational Barrel Race
Mail: Baru Spiller 2702 CR 209 Wingate TX 79566 Order completion dates are normally from 2-6 months but could vary depending on the order. Rush orders possible.
Watching Bud Forell bulldog all those years, paid off in the double muggin' at the Women's Ranch Rodeo, Hamilton TX - June '08
Flankin' calves at the Patterson Ranch branding, Stonewall County TX, June 08
Big Country Cowgirls ranch rodeo team, Women's Ranch Rodeo, Hamilton TX, June, 2008 ____________________________________________________________________________ IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY:
Bud Forell, Plainville KS, circa 1955
Baru, Parker County TX, 1998
Baru's mother, Artyce Forell, Plainville KS rodeo, circa 1954
Baru, Wingate TX, 2007
Bud & Artyce Forell, Phillips County KS 1954
Joe & Baru Spiller, Parker County TX, 1998
In Memory of Bud Forell
Bud Forell, (1931-2005) 1954 Kansas State Champion Steer Wrestler, all-around rodeo cowboy, horseman, breeder of several AAA ROM race horses, top arena and all-around performance horses.
Bud Forell, 1949. Click for complete Memorial to Bud Forell
…HE RIDES ON by Baru Forell Spiller
Back seventy years ago or so, Folks were easier to get to know An honest day’s work brought an honest day’s pay, And a good cowboy always had a place to stay. In the distance blew the whistle of an old freight train By twilight the doves cooed their mournful refrain At night the stars sprinkled the prairie skies, The coyotes sounded their lonesome cries… …and Bud Forell rode in. In spring the thunderstorms rolled in from the west And put many a good cowpuncher to the test Driving cattle through the pouring rain didn’t bring many to riches or fame. Mosquitoes, ticks, horse flies the size of cranes, Pandora poured her box o’er the Kansas plains The summer sun scorched the prairie land; It was too hot for the devil, too hot for man… …but Bud Forell rode on. Ole Man Winter blew in with a rage, Icing the yucca, ragweed and sage, Cattle stranded on fences, horses on ice Cowboying the plains brought a heck of a price. A broomtail nag and some crowbait cattle, The cowboy life was a constant battle Snake bites, thorns & coyote howls It was here that the tenderfoot threw in the towel… …but Bud Forell rode on. Other folks business, he didn’t get in, But if you dared to challenge, you knew he’d win. He didn’t say much, wasn’t big on talk, He just had a big heart and walked a big walk. He was crusty and rusty and plum broke in, But he was in good shape for the shape he was in Doc said his big heart needed revamped, But he fooled us all – he just moved camp. …and he rides on… In loving memory of Meredith ‘Bud’ Allen Forell February 11, 1931 - December 10, 2005
Go to Spillers Spurs & Bits, Joe J. Spiller, Maker.
e-mail the Spiller RanchGo to Spiller Spurs & Bits Spiller Ranch, 2702 CR 209, Wingate TX 79566 day: 325.673.6662 ask for Baru; eves: 325.743.2461 All photos copyrighted by Plum Creek Filmworks unless otherwise noted and may not be used without permission.
