The Historic XIT Ranch Is Back And Bigger Than Ever

“Sorry I’m late — the vet stopped by. We needed a quick turnaround on our stallion so he can do his job today,” Drew Knowles tells me as he joins a three-way conference call with me and his wife and business partner, Abby. The pair are the stewards and owners of XIT Ranch, a huge, historic property whose name is synonymous with the Texas panhandle. At the time of our conversation, Abby — a classically trained chef — is in Crested Butte, Colorado, preparing for a farm-to-table dinner, while Drew is at the XIT performance-horse headquarters in Weatherford, Texas, graining horses and distributing alfalfa cubes. Multitasking is a given in a profession like ranching, where being industrious is a prerequisite.

Relative newcomers — or, rather, welcome latecomers — the Knowles have operated the XIT in Colorado since 2020 and started their Texas operation in 2022. From helping mares foal to fighting prairie fires, it’s an all-consuming workload. “I was talking to Joe Leathers, the general manager of the 6666 Ranch, and I said to him, ‘Joe, it feels like we’re drinking from a fire hose. When’s it going to settle down?’ He goes, ‘Drew, I’ll let you in on a secret — it never does.’ And to hear him say that was an aha moment. Because if Joe says it, then it’s true.”

While this conversation could be defeating to most folks, from an outside perspective the Knowles are thriving, but, more important, they are focused. Perhaps because there is a lot at stake. Between operating a diversified ranching business (which includes a cattle operation, a performance-horse program, ranch-horse program, a mercantile, and culinary events) and reviving an iconic ranch that hasn’t been in operation for over 59 years, it’s a lot of pressure. However, the Knowles are a capable couple, and they’re in it for the long haul.

Abby and Drew Knowles, stewards and owners of XIT Ranch.

It’s a long game that started over a century ago.

On February 20th, 1879, the Texas legislature appropriated over 3 million acres to be used in trade for the construction of a grand new state capitol. Brothers John and Charles Farwell of Chicago, along with a few partners, committed to the build and created an Italian Renaissance Revival-style building with a red granite exterior. For their efforts the Farwells (backed by investors) received the enormous tract of High Plains land. The parcel ran approximately 200 miles along the border of New Mexico, with a width ranging from 20 to 30 miles.

Primarily located in the region known as the Llano Estacado, commonly referred to as the Staked Plains, the area most likely received its moniker from the cliff formations found on the plateau’s edges. The ancestral lands of tribes including the Comanche, Apache, and Kiowa, the Llano Estacado was prime bison hunting grounds. Before their near-eradication in the late 1800s, bison thrived on the prairie short grass ecosystem abundant with blue grama and buffalo grass.

This environment made an ideal home for grazing cattle, and that became the intent of the Farwell brothers. With the land acquired from building the state capitol, the brothers formed the XIT Ranch. On July 1, 1885, the first XIT cattle arrived in the Panhandle. Starting with 2,500 longhorns, the ranch at its pinnacle, was home to 150,000 head of cattle, used 1,000 horses, and employed 150 cowboys.

By the 1880s XIT was the largest enclosed ranch in the world, sprawling across 10 Texas counties with nearly 800 miles of maintained fence. According to the XIT Ranch origin story, the brand was drawn in the corral dust at Buffalo Springs headquarters by trail driver Abner Blocker for B.H. Campbell, the first general manager. The elaborate straight iron brand was chosen to discourage rustlers, an important consideration for drovers who would trail up to 12,500 cattle a year to the 2 million-acre XIT leasing allotment in Montana.

The timing of the XIT cattle operation was unfortunate, as livestock prices plummeted in the 1880s. In 1886, cattle prices in Chicago, which was the center of the United States meatpacking industry at the time, were half what they had been in 1884. Coupled with extreme weather — like “The Great Die Up” in the extraordinarily harsh winter of 1886–1887 on the High Plains — and diseases like Texas fever, falling prices ended the great open range era of the 19th century. By 1912 the last XIT cattle had been sold, and by 1963 the last acre. The run of the great XIT Ranch had ended.

Or, rather, it was on hiatus.

An image of bronc busting in 1904 on the XIT.

“I was about 11 years old when my grandmother shared the story of the XIT with me,” Drew says. “I was very close to her, and she was a very important part of my life. She made me understand what our history really meant.” Drew is the great-great-great-grandson of John V. Farwell, the Chicago merchant who founded the XIT along with his brother Charles. Drew was unaware of the extent of his family’s legacy until early adolescence.

Growing up in Cincinnati, Drew did not have direct access to cattle besides the occasional visit to his godfather’s farm to feed steers from the feed truck. He did, however, spend his childhood outside. Living within close proximity to a nature preserve, a young Drew explored hundreds of acres of woods and creeks. As a boy and teenager, he would join his father on hunting and fishing excursions to Wyoming, Northern Quebec, even Argentina. “I’ve always had a connection to the land,” Drew says.

His future wife and fellow Ohioan, Abby Knowles, also shared the sentiment. She, too, spent her childhood outdoors. “I just always wanted to be outside and had an interest in living on the land,” she says. This interest ultimately led her to become a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef, and it inspired a profound inquisitiveness about our food systems. “I’ve always wanted to know where our food comes from,” Abby says. “How was it grown? Can we have relationships with the people who are producing our food? Why is it so disconnected? These were the questions that started it all.”

By “all,” she means the impetus behind the ultimate revival of the XIT.

Abby’s innate curiosity led her to pursue a degree in environmental studies at University of Colorado at Boulder, and later she attended Le Cordon Bleu in Portland, OR. The school utilized a holistic approach to cooking, including school gardens, land for farming, and a composting program. This education further solidified Abby’s conviction to the farm-to-table (or ranch-to-table) movement.

“My motto is, trust your food. Know where your food comes from and know the people who grew it and raised it,” she says. It remains her guiding ethos to this day. And it was that passion that led Abby in 2017 to encourage Drew and their family to start looking for a ranch property. There were many variables to consider like size, infrastructure, and water rights. They finally landed on a property in La Veta, Colorado. Starting with a modest herd of cattle, they met their current ranch manager, Ben Lard, and began to revisit an old family tradition.

The XIT Was Back

Though the Knowleses were just beginning their horsemanship and stockmanship journey, they were eager and able students. “There were lots of long days at the start, wouldn’t you say, Abby?” Drew asks with a good-hearted laugh. They relied on neighbors, mentors, and good friends to learn skills like animal husbandry, pasture management, and the necessity of a diversified business model. They day worked for free and invested themselves in the learning process. “Part of what I love about ranching is that you have to learn hands-on,” Abby says. “Of course you can study and read, but you really make progress by doing. It felt overwhelming at first, but I came to the realization that this is just how life is for ranchers and horsemen, the intensity of it.”

Mentors Bill and the late Kelly Parker were also instrumental. “Bill and Kelly helped us source the first 26 head of cattle that we owned. The Parkers taught us about grazing practices and how to sort cattle at a gate,” Drew says. The Knowleses supported their community in return, helping plow long driveways in bad storms and clearing fields. The pair weren’t alone, however; their two daughters were also acquiring these skills alongside them. “With ranching, there’s no way for an entire family to not be involved,” Abby says. “Our daughters see everything from birth, death, to processing. And there is a necessity to work together.”

As the family began to acclimate to the lifestyle, they thrived in it, expanding from their modest La Veta herd and adding additional income streams beyond their cattle operation. “We learned early on that we needed to diversify our business so we didn’t end up with a really expensive hobby farm,” Abby explains. “Before, I would’ve gladly just had a few animals and hosted occasion dinners, but Drew wanted something bigger. He wanted a model that could last and support our family and have longevity. We realized a breeding program could make things more profitable.”

So Drew began to study bloodlines, as well as the refined bridle horses of the vaquero style of horsemanship. The methods are based on centuries-old traditions brought over by the Spaniards that involve a progression from hackamore bridle, to two rein, and finally a spade bit (a snaffle bit has been added in modern times). It is a meticulous process that can take years, if not decades, to achieve. “We are very passionate about reined cow horse competitions, because it is really the peak of the vaquero style of horsemanship,” Drew says.

The reined cow horse competitions include three disciplines: herd work, rein work, and cow work, all of which have practical applications to ranching. “We are able to use a bridle horse for any job on the ranch, and the reined cowhorse competition is the epitome of a well-rounded ranch horse,” Drew says. Horses from their breeding program are also used for cutting competitions, roping events, and of course general ranch work.

Abby Knowles, a classically trained chef, is vital to their ranch’s food systems and practices.

The breeding program, as well as the XIT ranch as a whole, made a dramatic evolution after a fateful encounter at the Return to the Remuda horse sale at the historic 6666 Ranch in 2021. Drew drove the 450 miles from the XIT ranch in Colorado to the 6666 Ranch in Guthrie, Texas, to purchase eight horses. He also made quite an impression on some folks at the sale — specifically with 6666 Ranch owner, writer, and director Taylor Sheridan.

Sheridan was impressed with Drew’s knowledge of bloodlines, his business mind, and the family legacy. Drew confided in Sheridan about his desire to bring the XIT back to the Texas panhandle. Two months later, Sheridan sent the Knowleses a listing for a 11,520-acre ranch on the original land of the XIT Ranch.

“Taylor has been so wonderful, and incredibly supportive,” Drew says. “He’s the first to say that our business is hard, but it’s also so unique because it’s not cutthroat. We rely on each other and help each other — think [about] even in the branding pen how communities come together. Taylor has been a champion for the industry and a champion for heritage ranches.” The friendship and support continue today: The Knowleses and Sheridan ride together and breed to each other’s stallions. Sheridan’s even been Drew’s turnback help in the cutting pen.

The Knowleses purchased the Texas property in 2022. Once back on a portion of the original XIT property, Drew went to the brand office in Hartley County, Texas, to register the original XIT brand. But he was informed it was already registered with the Frantz family. Disappointed but understanding, he called the Frantz family to thank them for being good stewards of the brand and let them know he was glad it was in good hands. Trey Frantz was so impressed with Drew that he signed the brand back over to the Knowles family.

“It’s been a natural evolution,” Drew says. “The last of my family’s original rangelands was sold in 1963. It’s been a 59-year hiatus since we’ve been a major landowner in the panhandle. And by Texas standards we’re still not a major landowner. Abby and I have been completely humbled and blown away by the support and the warm welcome by the heritage ranches.”

The XIT operation is still expanding. The Knowleses are now primarily based in Weatherford, Texas, the home of their performance-horse program. The majority of their cattle operation is now on the original land of the XIT, with a smaller herd at their ranch in La Veta, Colorado. The performance-horse program continues to grow with the addition of stallion Kit Kat Sugar, as well as their ranch-horse program. “We’re very proud of our horses,” Drew says. “We are putting our own modern spin on foundation ranch lines to create the next generation of XIT horses for the ranch.”

Where the performance-horse program is focused on creating top equine athletes for the show ring, the ranchhorse program focuses on animals that will thrive on the range. “There can be overlap in the two programs,” Drew explains. “At the end of the day, we need our horses to work our cattle, and we need cattle so that our horses have a job. And so the horses and the cattle have a symbiotic relationship. Wet saddle pads make for great horses. So for our cowboys to take a young ranch gelding out every day to check heifers, or whatever the job might be, the byproduct is that we make great horses just by servicing the needs of the cattle business.”

A seal on the Texas Trail of Fame honors John V. Farwell, XIT Ranch co-founder.

Abby is at the heart of the cattle program. The XIT’s Black Angus and American Wagyu cattle herds she looks after are fat off grass and managed with low-stress stockmanship methods. The early origins of the cattle program employed Savory Institute Methods that have now evolved to suit the Texas panhandle environment. “We are guided by managing things as well as possible to help the health of our cattle and the health of the native species,” Abby says. “We're taking the best care of the land that we can.”

That kind of intentionality is palpable in all of the XIT offerings, including Abby’s dinner events, which bring meat and local products directly to the consumer. She offers educational opportunities like an introduction to animal husbandry, hands-on butchery, and open-fire cooking. “Food is a huge part of our lives,” she says. “Knowing how our food is grown and how to care for the land, is why I host these events.”

Abby’s passion for connecting people to their food sources is why the XIT exists again today. For Drew, its about fostering a steward mindset that ensures longevity. “The analogy that really resonates with me is that I feel like we’ve found ourselves in front of this wall that our family had started building long, long ago, and it’s our turn to take care of that wall. Our duty is to fix it up and mend it, add a few stones, and leave it better for the next generation.”

And what about the weight of legacy? How do you resurrect one of the most famous ranches not only in the Americas, but in the world? The responsibility of bringing back something that started over a century ago? It's clear these questions are a constant on Drew’s mind.

“You have to remove ego from it,” he says. “Abby and I had this epiphany years ago when we were starting out: If we honor the history and the legacy of the XIT in the right way, everything else will be fine. But if we don’t wake up every morning and ask ourselves what’s best for the XIT Ranch, the land, and the animals, as soon as we start asking what’s best for ourselves, we’ve lost sight of what we’re doing and everything falls apart.”

From our January 2025 issue.

For more information, visit xitranch.com.

PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of XIT Ranch