Hoofin It
Millersburg Resident Finds His Stride in the Horse Reproduction Business
Writer / Matt Keating
Photographer / Kari Lipscomb
Cletus Bontrager, owner of Rumbling Acres in Millersburg, says working with his customers is one of the highlights of his business.
Its one of many factors that keep him highly motivated throughout the day. He says he had a longtime dream of owning his own business, and he wants to keep finding ways to make it grow. He also believes his customers are the key to making that happen.
Making sure my customers are satisfied is one of the things that keeps a business going, Bontrager says. Ive tried to make it that way since we started.
Bontrager started Rumbling Acres in 2020.
We are an equine reproduction and sale fitting business, and we have been lucky to have loyal customers who have been enthusiastic and happy to be working with us, he says. You cant ask for more than that.
A typical workday for Bontrager can vary.
During the spring reproduction part of our business, we do mare boarding here, he says. We have a full line of reproduction. It involves the selective breeding of horses. Horse owners have come to rely on Rumbling Acres as a solid business. They are looking for a certain type of purebred horse. One of the positive things about this business is that there is always a market for it.
Bontrager is glad that the business has been able to grow.
We specialize in driving horses, Bontrager says. We have been able to have new customers by offering a high-quality service with this.
Bontrager spends a lot of time with customers to find out exactly what they need.
They also like the fact that we have horses for sale, and we also can raise your own foal, he says. That has appealed to a lot of people. They have been very happy about that. We are a small business but we have a lot of room for growth, and we are hoping to be able to get more customers.
Bontrager enjoys the sales part of his job, and has grown to like it even more during the last few months.
We strive to make the customers as happy as possible, and that pays off in the long run, he says. We usually have about 12 to 14 horses here at a time. We sell young stock and driving horses. They will all be sold by the end of the year. We also buy and resell horses. People call us and tell us what they need, and we make it work for them.
Bontrager notes that there is a big demand for horse reproduction, and that people are always looking to purchase more horses.
People have been saying very nice things about us, and the best way to get great new customers is through positive word of mouth, he says.
Bontrager says residents of Millersburg have been very supportive of his business.
One of the great things about living in Millersburg is the laid-back atmosphere, he says. My wife, Joanna, and I talk about how this place always gives us a great feeling, to see how much people care about each other here. They also want to see businesses succeed.
When Bontrager isnt busy at Rumbling Acres, he can also be found at Bonteville Wood Products in Shipshewana.
I work there with my dad, Vernon, and we make wood cabinets, he says.
Bontrager says he enjoys working at both jobs, and they offer him a wide variety of tasks to work on.
I hope I can keep expanding both businesses by continuing to provide high-quality work, he says. It was exciting to start a new business with Rumbling Acres, and I think I have the ability to keep improving it.
For more information on Rumbling Acres, located at 13292 County Road 42 in Millersburg, call 574-642-0495.
