The great thing about having a reputation for eccentricity and total lack of self control when fun and adventure are involved is that it brings all kinds of new people to Dunrovin’s doorstep. This is how Wayne, Waylon, and Willie with their beautiful handmade wagon fell into our laps.
Wayne is absolutely typical of many people who are drawn to Montana. They live here because they love the place and the people – not because they can make a lot of money. The saying is that you come to Montana to make a life, not a living. In fact, living in Montana generally required financial sacrifices – economists call it the “scenery tax” and everyone along the economic scale understands it and pays it. So, when Wayne’s sweetheart – and she is a sweetie – got an offer for a great, secure job at the University of Montana, Wayne began to disassemble his life near Bozeman and relocate to our area.
For the last several decades, Wayne has cobbled together a living, and enjoyed a great life, from working during the summer months and holiday season as a wrangler and sleigh driver for the Lone Mountain Ranch in Big Sky, Montana, and heading north to Alaska during the hunting season to serve as a guide. At Lone Mountain, Wayne became a master teamster, and applied his natural gifts with animals and his teamster knowledge to train a beautiful pair of Morgan/Percheron/Friesian geldings named Waylon and Willie (naturally!). Unfortunately, he did not actually own the pair.
It was clear to us the moment that Wayne set foot on the property that he is a special person. His gentle, quiet way with his horses is inspirational and is the foundation for the superb performances he achieves with them. We hope to find a way to include Wayne at Dunrovin and help him establish a thriving business with his magnificent team in our area.