Rolling O Ranch in Manteca is home to a menagerie of attractions not found in many farms around the area.There’s the African watusi, for one, with its distinctive pair of horns which is the latest acquisition of lifelong farmer and Texas longhorn breeder Leo Omlin.And while his award-winning Big Red, which gave Omlin miles of bragging points when it won the honor of 2007 Horn Showcase Class Champion for having the longest set of horns in the United States, has moved on to another green pasture and a new owner in Oakdale, Rolling O still has about 100 longhorns to delight curious onlookers. Among them are Andy, a black-and-white steer that Omlin is grooming to become Big Red’s successor, and Big John which sports the curliest pair of horns among the steers and is a close ringer to the 2007 champion.Longhorn Andy won the Grand Champion at the recent California State Fair in Sacramento, while another steer was Reserve Champion.But cattle will not be the only show stealers when the 2011 Ag Tour visitors roll into the Rolling O Ranch on Friday, Sept. 9, at around 2:30 p.m. Omlin is proud to point out the other attractions of the four-legged kind at his South Union Road spread. There’s Lover Boy Llama, for example, an extremely people-friendly and gregarious furry pet which is one of a pair that were given to him a few years back by people who did not want them in the farm property that they just purchased.
Longhorns, llamas & watusi, oh my!
Rolling O Ranch menagerie part of Manteca Ag Tour