Andy Moore named his ranch at Blaisdell, Kyloe Ranch. Photo from North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame. The ranch was named for the type of Scotch Highland cattle in his operation.

Like most North Dakotans, Andy Moore was described by those who knew him as hard-working, honest, fair and hospitable. But Andy – this farmer turned rancher, boxer (yes, boxer) and sheriff – also fits the description of what this writer would refer to as “North Dakota Tough.” A risk taker, Andy Moore made a handful of major moves over the course of his professional life. By the end of his life, he was known for many successes, and lasting contributions made to his community and the state.

Andy Moore was born in 1921 at Palermo. His parents, Albert and Emily (Peterson, Halvorson) Moore came to the area in 1908 and built their ranch with the help of their six children.

Educated in a country school northeast of Palermo, Andy, an avid reader, would attend school through two years at Palermo High School. During summers, he herded cattle on the family’s ranch, and, in the fall, Andy trailed cattle to the Palermo stockyards to be shipped to St. Paul. He broke horses for both riding and driving and became an accomplished teamster.

In the late 1930s, Andy was a Golden Gloves boxer, once qualifying in his division for the State Tournament.

In 1942, Andy married Myrtle Lindahl and started a family of his own. The couple had five children.

By 1945, Andy had a working farm. But in the fall of that year, he lost everything when a hailstorm decimated his crops. Not to be deterred, Andy turned his attention to cattle. With the purchase of 25 Hereford heifers and one bull, he had the seed stock for a successful commercial cattle operation that thrived for two decades. He later introduced Scotch Highland cattle to his operation, and named his ranch Kyloe, for the type of Highlanders in his herd.

Andy Moore was a pioneer in progressive ranching practices. He had a pole barn built on his ranch in 1956 – the first in the area. Andy also had the first water dug-out dam in the area.

Andy’s main interest turned to an Appaloosa breeding program he had started with a leased stud and a handful of mares. He acquired stallions from around the United States with quality bloodlines sure to enhance not only his own business, but North Dakota’s horse business overall. The Kyloe Ranch horse herd was known industry-wide, with sales across the U.S., into Canada, and in Australia. By the 1980s, Andy had increased his mare herd to 200, giving him the largest register of Appaloosa horses in the U.S.

In 1966, Andy sold his entire cattle operation and ventured fully into horse breeding. He participated in the Pregnant Mare Urine Program (PMU), selling urine to Canada’s Ayerst Pharmaceutical (later Ayerst/Wyeth) for hormone use for nearly 40 years.

An active member of his community, Andy donated the land for the arena site that would be home to the Blaisdell Rodeo Club. He was active in the operation of the Blaisdell Rodeo, and served on the NDRA Board for several years. He was a founding member of the ND Appaloosa Club, serving on the Board of Directors and winning many awards. He helped start the Mon-Dak Appaloosa Horse Club, the Mountrailmen’s Horse Club, and the local 4-H Horsemanship Program. Later, Andy helped form the Northwest Horseshow Association, and served as president of the Sioux National Appaloosa Club.

If that wasn’t enough, the Moores were foster parents, active in the Mountrail County Foster Care Program. Andy was Township Clerk for 30 years, a member of the ND Stockmen’s Association and worked as a brand inspector for 30 years. To top it off, Andy was a Mountrail County Sheriff’s Special Deputy from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s.

In recognition for a life well-lived, Andy Moore was inducted to the Cowboy Long Rider category of the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in 2014. His nomination binder, thick with letters of recommendation, tells the story of a man who exemplified the characteristics of the best of North Dakota’s citizens. He was a true cowboy, respected horseman, businessman, family man, remarkable community leader…the list goes on. Friends and family called him “kind”, “thoughtful”, “caring”, “helpful neighbor”. The parent of a student attending a clinic Andy gave referred to him as “a completely balanced human being”.

Andy Moore passed away in October 1983.