Condicts named 2016 County Pioneers

This year, the Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering (GECG) Outfit selected Karen and Alden Condict as their 2016 County Pioneers.

Alden R. Condict was born on the ranch, on the last day of 1927. He has lived and worked on the ranch all of his life. He is very involved with the cattle and horses. At an early age he took a keen interest in the ranch’s water and water rights, continuing to fine tune the system, taking great pride in getting all of the land possible irrigated.

At a horse sale in Fort Collins, Colorado, Alden’s life changed forever —where he met Karen Thornburg. The two were married in May of 1970. The newlyweds shared a passion for ranching, cattle and horses. They had two sons, Alden Richard and Michael Edward.

Karen took to life on the ranch. She has planned and participated in nearly all of the brandings, cattle drives, weaning, vaccinating, shipping, calving, etc. She has spent the vast majority of her days on horseback and also manages all of the bookwork. Not to mention keeping the family and pets motivated and well fed for the last forty years.

The Condict Ranch was founded in 1884, by Winthrop and J.D. Condict. The brothers purchased a relinquishment claim on the homestead where the current headquarters are today. J.D. decided to return to New Jersey and sold his interests to Winthrop.

Winthrop Condict was Alden’s grandfather. He and his wife Hattie had two sons, Lawrence and Winthrop Campbell. Winthrop Campbell Condict, known as W.C. married Aurilla Pool right out of college. They had five children, Maysel, Bernice, Winthrop III, Alden, and baby Alice.

Allen’s father was an engineer out of college. He used his education to develop the irrigation system on the Condict Ranch. He and his father ranched together until Winthrop senior passed away in 1935. During W.C.’s time the ranch grew to become the largest irrigated ranch in Wyoming.

In 2014, Karen and Alden were awarded by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s Land Owner of the Year.

Alden, Karen and Michael love the ranch life and have never had a desire to do anything else.