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Saturday event marks 162 years of horse history at Jack Tone Ranch
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CLEMENTS — Jack Tone Ranch, founded in 1849, is the oldest family horse ranch in continuous operation in California.

Jack Tone Ranch has a very unique and interesting history. It is the third oldest California family farm of any kind. The Jack Tone Ranch Historical Foundation is a private non-profit foundation established to aid preservation of this historic estate of Jack Tone. Visitors driving to the Jack Tone Ranch will arrive via the Jack Tone Road, still the “longest straight road in the county.” Jack Tone’s road to his home has grown from a simple farm road to a high-speed county highway over these 162 years. The Calaveras River meanders through the ranch. Giant valley oak trees shade mares and foals in a continuing legacy spanning all of those years.

An Evening at Jack Tone Ranch this Saturday, Oct. 8, marks 162 years of history at Jack Tone Ranch.

General tickets are all-inclusive ($60 adults, $20 children) and cover dinner, wine, beer & entertainment plus a chance to win the door prize.

The evening’s “crown jewel” will feature traditional entertainment by 4th-, 5th-, and 6th-generation Tone family members showing a variety of horses. The Tone kids will show trick ponies and demonstrations to illustrate the continuing thread of horsemanship carried through Jack Tone Ranch history since the early days.

Many donations have been made by local merchants as raffle items to support the Jack Tone Ranch Historical Foundation’s annual fund-raiser event. Auctioneer Tony Carvahlo will raise the excitement level during a live auction, featuring a breeding to Jack Tone Ranch Arabian stallion, “A Day in the Life” at Jack Tone Ranch, a guided trail ride through the historic Jack Tone mining property in the Mother Lode, and many more uniquely interesting and historic items.

Jack Tone Ranch is located at 9749 North Jack Tone Road. The event starts at 4:30 p.m. with tours of the historic ranch followed at 5:30 p.m. by a horse show and equestrian entertainment plus casino-style raffle games. The tri-tip BBQ dinner, live auction and raffles start at 6:30 p.m. followed by dancing.

An historical marker out front gives the Jack Tone Ranch history from its beginning in 1849 when John H. Tone arrived from New York with the Audubon Party. After mining gold and hauling supplies to miners in the Mother Lode, he settled down to farm the beautiful soil along the Calaveras River. Jack Tone is purported to have planted the first orchard and vineyard in the now-famous San Joaquin valley farming region.

Jack Tone Ranch is most famous for its magnificent Arabian horses, making equine history there since 1952. Fadjur, one of the most loved horses in Arabian horse history, was the cornerstone of the Tone’s Arabian operation. Fadjur won many national titles for his conformation and Arabian breed type, yet his most lasting contribution is his prepotency as a sire of excellence. Fadjur’s influence transcends time and generations of exceptional Arabian horses with a special charisma, intelligence, beautiful Arabian breed type, athletic ability and wonderful disposition which combined together became known as ‘the Look of Fadjur.’