Dream Big: The Story Behind Six 9 Ranch

Some ranches are built over generations. Others begin with a leap of faith. Six 9 Ranch is a little bit of both.

Karly McLean and Conway Sauter’s story began in 2020, when a family connection finally succeeded in getting the two of them introduced. Not long after meeting, Karly showed Conway around her family’s ranching country west of Nanton, Alberta, an area her family has called home for generations.

Then Conway came across a piece of land for sale near Karly’s ancestral ranch.

He sent her the listing.

Her response? “Dream big!”

So they did.

Early into their relationship, Karly and Conway toured the property and learned they had just 24 hours to submit an offer. It was a big decision, made very early in their story together, but they took the chance...

The offer was accepted, and the land became Six 9 Ranch.

Ranching Roots Run Deep

While Six 9 Ranch itself is relatively new, the roots behind it are anything but. Karly’s great-grandfather, Bill Monkman, began acquiring land west of Nanton in 1897 when he was just 16 years old. The 69 brand, which inspired the Six 9 Ranch name, was last officially registered as a horse brand in 1918.

Conway brought generations of ranching experience to the partnership, too. The Black Angus genetics behind the Six 9 Ranch cow herd come from his father’s herd at Sauter Ranches, where careful genetic selection has long been a priority.

When Conway moved his family herd from Hanna to their new home near Nanton, it marked the beginning of another chapter.

As Conway remembers it, the cattle initially travelled the unfamiliar hills together like a swarm of bees. Before long, they settled in and began exploring their new foothills home.

Tradition Meets Something New

Starting Six 9 Ranch was already a leap. But Karly and Conway weren’t finished taking chances...

They decided to build on the dependable Black Angus genetics behind their herd by introducing Japanese Black Wagyu bulls, combining the qualities they valued in their Angus cattle with the exceptional marbling Wagyu is known for.

Why?

In Conway’s words, “Because we wanted to make the best freakin’ beef on the planet.”

They knew that if they were going to build something new, they wanted to truly go for it.

Today, Six 9 Ranch raises Wagyu Angus cross beef in the foothills of Southern Alberta, bringing together deep ranching roots, carefully selected genetics and a willingness to do things a little differently.

Karly and Conway’s Six 9 Ranch story is still being written. But considering it all started with two words, a piece of land and one very big leap of faith, there’s one piece of advice that seems particularly fitting: Dream big.