Schelldorf nominated for hall of fame

The late John "Jack" Schelldorf, well-known local rancher, has been selected for induction into the Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame this year.

The Wyoming Cowboy Hall of Fame (WCHF) seeks out and celebrates the men and women who introduced this state to its ranching heritage, honoring the cowboys and ranchers who helped to break those first trails.

This year, 23 more nominations have been added to the prestigious list. Alongside Crook County's two honorees, the Region 1 class includes Matilda "Tillie" Mae Bock Sewell of Osage, Steve Bossman of Oshoto, Matt Avery of Gillette and George Amos of Gillette.

Regional committees in ten different areas of Wyoming researched and scored over 50 nominations and sent the top picks to the WCHF State Board of Directors.

Schelldorf was nominated by his granddaughter, Stacy.

"The Wyoming cowboy, Jack Schelldorf, worked the hard yet rewarding lifestyle all of his life to provide for his family and livestock," she wrote.

"He passed down much of his knowledge of the cowboy lifestyle through stories and being a great role model."

According to Stacy, Schelldorf was born in Belle Fourche in 1931, the family soon after moving to what is now the Schelldorf Ranch, south of Sundance.

He rode his horses every day to the Hewes Country School and Black Flats Country School, later graduating from Sundance High School.

Schelldorf married his high school sweetheart, Janice Roberts, and the couple had three children: Marilyn, David and Nancy. He continued to live and work the Schelldorf Ranch until he passed away in 2012.

Schelldorf's passion was for Hereford cattle, a love that was born when he helped his uncle as a small boy. In 1944, he bought his first ten head of cows from his dad and uncle's partnership.

As he took over Schelldorf Ranches, he had a successful cow/calf operation along with the yearlings he kept through the summer. He also had a small sheep herd and a loyal dog, and was always horseback to gather his cows and help his neighbors until he was 70 years old.

Green was Schelldorf's favorite color because it was the color of grass, money and John Deere – even though he was colorblind. He was known to feed his animals a little extra or offer a treat on holidays at the ranch.

Schelldorf also dabbled in rodeo as a saddle bronc rider, under the mentorship of Norman Mason. He was passionate about leatherwork, making everything from chaps and chinks to headstalls.

"Building fence was a favorite job of his. Even in his golden years he could make the tightest gates and fences the neighbor's cattle nor the neighbors could get through," his granddaughter wrote.

The induction ceremony for this year's class will be held on October 11 and 12 in Casper, at the Ramkota Hotel. The ceremony will be open to the public.