Jim Schott: From Limousin legacy to the cutting horse pen
For more than four decades, Jim Schott has been a cornerstone of the Limousin cattle industry. A respected cattleman from McLaughlin, South Dakota, Jim—alongside his family—built a legacy rooted in honesty, discipline, and people-first values. Those who know the cattle coming out of Corson County know the Schott reputation well: quality genetics, sound dispositions, and cattle built to work in real-world conditions.
“I was told in the beginning that I was crazy,” Jim recalled, reflecting on his early years in the cattle business. “They said I couldn’t make a profit with cattle on my own or that I wouldn’t make it.”
Those early doubts became fuel. At just 26 years old, Jim committed himself to a level of discipline that shaped the rest of his life—tracking every expense down to “his cup of coffee,” monitoring death loss, and maintaining a keen awareness of every dollar and cent. That attention to detail didn’t go unnoticed, whether in conversations with bankers during times of expansion or in everyday relationships that mattered just as much as business.
In fact, relationships have always been central to Jim’s philosophy. At the entrance gate to the Schott home place, one word stands above all others: PEOPLE.
What began with 140 calves, a few bulls, and a tractor—initially a way to diversify into farming—grew into a ranching life Jim remains deeply grateful for.
“The greatness, the blessings of ranch and farm life—the lifestyle—wow, I would not trade,” Jim said. “Along with smelling the flowers, the roses in the good times… you also have to smell the manure pile in the rough times. If utilized properly, the manure makes the flower times grow better.”
Jim and his wife, Priscilla, raised their three children—Jarod, Jason, and Vicki—by way of norther South Dakota, just west of the Missouri River. Today, the family also includes four grandchildren. The ranch sits amid layers of history: along the trails of Sitting Bull, Lewis and Clark, and Chief Gall, in the heart of one of the nation’s largest reservations, where legends and resilience run deep.
Through decades of change in the beef industry, Schott Limousin has adapted without losing its identity. Customers consistently praise the calm dispositions and rugged nature of the bulls—deep-bodied, easy-going cattle capable of traveling rough terrain and enduring harsh South Dakota winters. The focus has always been on genetics that help customers succeed and remain profitable.
Yet for Jim, growth never truly ends.
At 80 years young, he decided to step into an entirely new arena: the cutting horse world.
Jim purchased his first cutting horse—a seasoned 15-year-old mare with an outstanding pedigree—from Jason Reed of Faith, South Dakota. The mare taught him patience, and before long, they formed a strong partnership.
“With her quick turning, she made dirt fly in the ring,” Jim said with a smile.
Many onlookers doubted the decision, convinced Jim would “hit the dirt.” Instead, he found a new passion.
This wasn’t Jim’s first brush with unconventional adventures. In his younger years, he tried bull riding for a season or two—and even rode a buffalo once. “They paid me to ride the buffalo,” he said, laughing. “Along with four other cowboys. It doesn’t get any more South Dakotan than that.”
For cutting horse training, Jim hired Robbi Hanson, located outside Bismarck, North Dakota. The partnership worked well, built on mutual honesty and straightforward communication. Hanson even used buffalo as practice cattle.
“They move quicker than beef cattle,” Jim explained. “Freckles handled them really well.”
Jim later continued honing his skills in Duluth, Minnesota, where he also purchased a 5-year-old gelding, Red’—faster, more powerful, and deeper stopping than his starter mare. Red’s trainer from South Carolina had a goal for the gelding, and that was to have him perform in the top ten at nationals in two classes. Jim showed both horses throughout the Dakotas and made two trips to Texas.
No story about Jim Schott would be complete without mentioning his wife, Priscilla, whose own ranching legend is alive and well — just with a modern twist. After spending countless decades horseback, gathering cattle mile after mile in the saddle, Priscilla now rides what the family affectionately calls “Ol’ Red.” And no, Ol’ Red isn’t a horse — it’s the four-wheeler. These days, Ol’ Red consistently beats everyone to the herd, dust flying and cattle moving before anyone else even crests the hill. While the miles in the saddle are well-earned and proudly behind her, Priscilla’s grit, grit, and ranch instincts remain unchanged. Whether horseback or horsepower, she’s still getting the job done — and usually first.
At a show in Blue Ridge, Texas, 759 horses were entered. Jim found himself sitting in first place aboard Freckles with only a handful of riders left.
“The last contestant beat us by two points,” Jim said. “And that contestant was 12 years old.”
Jim shook the young rider’s hand and congratulated him. At 80 years old, Jim had competed—and placed—against some of the best in the sport, despite having no formal, consistent training schedule.
When asked if it was worth it, Jim didn’t hesitate.
“Yes, yes, and yes,” he said. “My goal was to win a buckle. I won five. My long-shot dream was to ride my horse, Freckles, to the cutting horse capital of the world in Fort Worth, Texas.”
Within 11 months, Jim received notice from the National Cutting Horse Association that he had qualified—with a full-paid certificate—for the National Finals in Fort Worth beginning April 4, 2025.
“It was an adventure, a journey, a blessing, a privilege,” Jim reflected. “It was given to me and allowed to me by my Great Employer… You may be interested in who this employer is? His name is Jesus, the Lord God Almighty.”
Jim had attended the world cutting horse finals for 15 years before ever competing himself. A lifelong singer and lover of music, he described the Fort Worth experience in poetic detail.
“I don’t think all the people could hear the same music I heard,” Jim said. “Those bigger horses with larger shoes made a bass tone on the cobblestone streets. The smaller horses were more tenor. Listen—it was a choir. That April of 2025, I was going down the street of Ft. Worth towards Will Roger’s Coliseum and what suddenly hit me was music, beyond my present words. A beautiful, gifted, talented, strong, athletic animal playing chimes underneath themselves. The chimes were ringing in my ears with me in the saddle. Yes, I took a few trips up and down the street.”
Looking back, Jim sees the cutting horse journey as a natural extension of his ranching life.
“The great cutting horse adventure came about because of my family’s past ranch lifestyle,” he said. “It opened a gate to a new pasture.”
That gate—much like the many others Jim and his family have walked through—has led to relationships, lessons, and lifelong memories stretching from Washington State to Mount Vernon, Ohio, and everywhere in between.
As Jim reflects on his life’s work, he remains guided by the same five priorities his father instilled in him—values that shaped Schott Limousin and the man behind it:
- People — relationships above all else
- The Beef Industry
- Quality Beef
- The Limousin Breed
- Money
“People come first,” Jim says simply. And in every chapter of his life—from cattle to cutting horses—that belief has proven true.
Looking ahead, the legacy continues. Schott Ranch will be offering approximately 50 Limousin bulls for sale this spring, including 10 two-year-olds and 40 yearlings. Built on generations of integrity, attention to detail, and a deep respect for people and the land, these bulls represent the same quality and honesty Jim Schott has stood behind for more than four decades. For more information, sale details, and genetics, visit http://www.schottranch.com.
-Limousin 365