Bob Moorhouse: Running the Pitchfork Ranch and Photographing It
A Texas Tech graduate who became the sixth manager of the historic Pitchfork Ranch and one of ranching's best-known photographers.
Who is Bob Moorhouse?
Bob Moorhouse was born in 1947 and raised in Benjamin, a West Texas town, according to the Texas Trail of Fame page. He is the manager of the Pitchfork Ranch. He grew up on the family Moorhouse Ranch and says he always planned to work in ranching. He graduated from Texas Tech University in 1972, and a 2001 Texas Tech agriculture article adds that he attended Sul Ross University first and earned an animal business degree at Tech.
How long has Moorhouse managed the Pitchfork Ranch?
The 2001 Texas Tech Agriculturist profile says he joined the ranch in 1972 as assistant manager and became manager in 1986. It calls him only the sixth manager since the Pitchfork began in 1883 and says the ranch had been a working operation for 117 years at the time of writing.
That continuity matters on a ranch where managers serve for decades. The article says he describes himself as a traditionalist who also follows industry trends.
Hereford cattle and ranch horses
The Pitchfork raises Hereford cattle, and the Texas Tech article says Moorhouse uses current technology to market and manage the herd while keeping traditional methods. The ranch is known for producing prize horses, and its cowboys ride horses rather than four-wheelers.
Pitchfork Country and ranch photography
Moorhouse began taking pictures alongside wildlife photographer Wyman Meinzer, who was researching coyotes at Texas Tech. His first subject was wild turkeys. He carries a camera on his saddle when conditions allow, crediting his daily access to the ranch, its cowboys, horses and cattle.
He wrote and published a book of ranch scenes, "Pitchfork Country," which the article says became a best seller. His photographs have also appeared in Western Horseman, Texas Farmer Stockman and The Cattleman. The Trail of Fame page says the work documents a cowboy way of life that is disappearing over time.
The Key to Moorhouse's Success
Moorhouse's record is that of a manager who stayed put, kept proven methods and told the story of his work. Because he is a living person, this profile covers only his public professional record.
- He grew up on a family ranch, then trained in animal business at Sul Ross and Texas Tech.
- He started as assistant manager in 1972 and worked up to manager in 1986.
- He blends tradition with technology, using current tools for marketing and herd management.
- He keeps working horseback: Pitchfork cowboys ride horses, not four-wheelers.
- He documents the work, publishing photography that records ranch life.
Honors and recognition
Moorhouse was inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame in 2003 and the Hall of Great Westerners in 2010, per the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum page. The Texas Tech article called him a renowned rancher, cattleman, horseman and photographer, admired by peers. It also called him a "living legend" and said he is uncomfortable with the attention, a fair sign of how the ranch community sees the work he does every day.
Documentation on Moorhouse is limited to these short profiles. For more ranch stories, visit farm.FM's ranching section or read a farm.FM story about West Texas ranches.
Timeline
- 1947Born in Texas
- 1972Graduates from Texas Tech; joins the Pitchfork Ranch as assistant manager
- 1986Becomes manager of the Pitchfork Ranch
- 2001Profiled by Texas Tech Agriculturist
- 2003Inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame
- 2010Inducted into the Hall of Great Westerners
Frequently asked questions
Who is Bob Moorhouse?
Bob Moorhouse is the manager of the Pitchfork Ranch in West Texas, a Hereford cattleman and photographer, and the author of the book Pitchfork Country.
What is the Pitchfork Ranch?
It is a West Texas working ranch that began in 1883. A 2001 article said Moorhouse was only its sixth manager, running Hereford cattle and producing prize horses.
When was Bob Moorhouse inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame?
He was inducted into the Texas Trail of Fame in 2003, according to that organization, and into the Hall of Great Westerners in 2010.
Who taught Bob Moorhouse photography?
The Texas Tech profile says he began taking pictures with wildlife photographer Wyman Meinzer while Meinzer was researching coyotes at Texas Tech.
Sources and further reading
- Bob Moorhouse, Texas Trail of Fame
- Bob Moorhouse, Hall of Great Westerners
- A Timeless Tradition, Texas Tech Agriculturist (Fall 2001)
Profiles are compiled from public sources and reviewed against them. See our editorial policy to suggest a correction.
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