Premont Ranch: 

A Brush Country Getaway

Three hours south of Boling, Texas, is the little town of Premont.

Home to roughly 2,400 people and a rich ranching heritage, Premont is also our home away from home.

With brush as far as the eye can see, this ranch has become the quiet place we escape to when we want to slow down, reconnect, and just breathe.

Why Premont?

Years ago, we started looking for a family getaway. A small piece of land with a good house, good neighbors, and space to roam. And in 2011, we finally found it.

Our connection with South Texas goes back generations. In 1973, V8 Ranch manager Jim Williams enrolled at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville) on a football scholarship to play for the Javelinas. Like many young men, he came for the sport. But what he found was a deeper calling.

“I fell in love with this South Texas country,” Jim recalls. “I like the people. It’s tough country, though.”

That’s an understatement. This land—part of what locals call the brasada, or brush country—has a reputation for being unforgiving. The mesquite, huisache, and huajillo trees create a dense thicket that makes working cattle an entirely different challenge than the more open pastures of Wharton County.

But for Jim, the harsh landscape holds an undeniable appeal. Many native brush country plants—including huisache, mesquite, and retama—have been used for centuries in traditional medicine for their healing properties. The aromatic compounds released by these plants, especially during spring bloom, create an atmosphere locals have long described as restorative. “They say it’s good for the soul,” adds Williams, “and I would attest to that.”

History Written in the Land

Our Premont ranch sits on land with a storied past. Until 1848, it was part of Mexico. That heritage still runs deep through the region: in the Spanish land grant names, the plaza called Hidalgo Park designed for Mexican and Mexican-American families, and the rich vaquero (cowboy) traditions that shaped modern American ranching. 

The town itself was named after Charles Premont, a Seeligson Ranch foreman who was fluent in Spanish and served as a bridge between cultures when the community was founded in 1908.

Over 100 years later, we’re writing our own small chapter in that story. Each stand on the property carries a name from our family—Mollie’s stand, Knox’s stand, Annie’s stand—marking the spots our kids, grandkids, and chosen family have sat quietly watching wildlife move through the brush.

Where Wildlife Run Wild

Nature is at the heart of our family, and Premont Ranch fuels that love every time we visit. Each day offers a chance to see wildlife in its native habitat: whitetail deer, javelinas, wild hogs, badgers, diamondback rattlesnakes, indigo snakes, bobcats, and Texas tortoises that look like they’ve lived here since the beginning of time.

We’re a hunting family—a tradition passed down through generations. Like those who owned the land before us, we eat what we hunt, giving thanks for the land that nurtures and sustains us. Eighth-generation rancher Knox Neumayr is already learning these values, understanding that hunting isn’t just sport; it’s a sacred connection to the land and a responsibility to use its gifts wisely.

Beyond Brahman

Our Premont ranch sits amongst distinguished company: King Ranch, one of the most legendary ranches in American history. Founded in 1853 and spanning more than 825,000 acres across four divisions, King Ranch helped shape modern beef production and remains one of the most influential names in the cattle industry.

V8 Ranch is known worldwide for our Brahman cattle operation, so many are surprised to learn we’re invested in other cattle breeds, most notably Santa Gertrudis and Shorthorn. 

While our Brahman females and bulls take center stage at our Boling location, you’ll often find our Premont Santa Gertrudis—a Brahman x Shorthorn cross developed specifically for South Texas conditions—at the auction barn.

In 2024, after 20+ years away from the breed, we resurrected V8 Ranch Shorthorns. Knox has been shining in recent competitions, including the Junior Shorthorn Nationals, American Royal Junior Heifer Show, and Louisville North American International Livestock Exposition with Margie and Bill Jr., our first two Shorthorn heifers.

More than a Getaway

While we describe Premont Ranch as a getaway, it’s clear it serves a deeper purpose. In Wharton County, our family carries the weight of running one of the world’s premier Brahman operations. The show cattle, the breeding program, and the international customers all require constant attention.

But in Premont, we can simply be. Some families escape to the mountains or the beach. For us, it’s the wild brush 200 miles south of home. It’s where we can enjoy the simple things: making prickly pear jelly, tracking wildlife through the thickets, identifying native plants, and watching the sun set over land that looks much the same as it did hundreds of years ago.

These lessons complement what Knox learns at our main ranch in Boling, where he helps keep heifers, learns proper cattle handling, and develops his showmanship skills. At Premont, he absorbs something equally important: that ranching isn’t just a business—it’s a relationship with the land and all that inhabits it.

Lost in Time

More than a decade after acquiring the property, our Premont ranch remains exactly what Jim intended: a place to get away, to reconnect, and to remember why he fell in love with South Texas all those years ago.

Square Head, our very first Santa Gertrudis cow, is still there, along with her daughter. The mesquite trees still provide shade and sustenance for deer, coyotes, and javelinas. And the Texas tortoises still make their patient way across the land, just as they have for centuries.

For a man who spends much of his year managing the intense demands of a world-class breeding operation, judging cattle shows across the globe, and maintaining relationships with customers on six continents, our Premont ranch offers something money can’t buy: solitude. Out amongst the 200 acres of brush, scrub, and native grasslands, “You couldn’t find me,” Jim says with satisfaction. And that’s exactly the point. Sometimes the most valuable thing you can have is a place where nobody’s looking for you at all.

Visit V8 Ranch

While our Premont ranch serves as the Williams family’s personal sanctuary, we welcome visitors to our main operations in Boling, Texas. 

We have Brahman bulls for sale and Brahman heifers for sale—all from championship bloodlines that have shaped the Brahman breed worldwide. Our cattle represent decades of selective breeding and genetic improvement.

There’s no cost to tour V8 Ranch—we love showing off our pride and joy.

Hop on the Mule with us for a tour of Brahman cattle heaven. Keep an eye out for some of the world’s most famous Brahman herd bulls like +Mr. V8 146/8 “Sloan,” +Mr. V8 933/7 “Yeti,” or Mr. V8 604/7 “Man of Steel” as they roam the pastures, greeting visitors and eagerly soaking up attention.

You can also meet Margie and Bill Jr. in person – the heifers who sparked our revived Shorthorn division and have been knocking it out of the park in the show ring.

If you’re looking to invest in Brahman genetics, purchase Brahman semen from proven herd sires, or simply want to see what sets V8 Ranch apart as a top producer of Brahman cattle in the United States, our team is here to help. We’re a trusted source of Brahman cattle for ranchers worldwide, from small breeders just starting out to established operations looking to elevate their breeding program.

Contact us to schedule your complimentary tour—or just swing on by our Boling location. We’ll be waiting for ya.