Best Angus and Quarter Horses celebrates fifth generation growing up in agriculture
Kristen Jones
Farmer Staff Writer
Best Angus and Quarter Horses is located south-west of Watford City, in the badlands of McKenzie County. It is a family operation with the fifth generation of McKenzie County homesteaders growing up.
“We are generational ranchers and newcomers all at the same time. All four of my great-grandparents were McKenzie County homesteaders who immigrated to western North Dakota when the Homestead Act opened this county up to claim staking. However, the homeplace, our headquarters were purchased by my father, Kurt Hovet in 1968 upon return home from his service in the Vietnam War,” explained Vawnita Best.
She added that her father spent 44 years of his life tending his land and livestock, growing small grains, hay and raising pigs, commercial cattle and a few horses on the Elkhorn.
She recalled, “The pigs went away the day the sows busted out of their barn and destroyed mother’s prize one and a half acre garden. The winter of 1976 we ate a lot less canned vegetables and alot more pork.”
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