Char-Lin Ranch is a family owned and operated business raising 100 registered Quarter Horses and 600 Angus Cattle. In July 1985, Charles and Linda Cline bought the ranch west of Cushing, OK as a place to retire after the sale of Cherokee Lines, Inc., the family owned a trucking company with more than 100 trucks and even more trailers, hauling across the 48 contiguous states from 1963 to 1990.
One evening, Charles suggested going to a horse sale and buying a couple of geldings. The following weekend he purchased 17 horses. That established the now famous Char-Lin Ranch The next step was a breeding operation. They purchased the Scarlet Kid, Quincys Tear Drop, and Gold Classic Rose to be their breeding stallions, and began purchasing some great broodmares.
In January 1989 the first buckskin colt CL Buckley was born. As a two-year old “Buckley” earned the title of IBHA World Champion and ABRA World Champion, and was also a finalist at the AQHA Amateur World Show. The next year his first son, CL Uno, was fifth in the Open and 7th in the Amateur at the AQHA World Championship Horse Show. Buckley has sired the winners of over 190 of the 300 IBHA, ABRA, and PHBA World and Reserve World Championships, and top ten placings at the AQHA World Shows earned by offspring of Char-Lin Ranch
Oklahoma State University celebrated the opening of the Charles and Linda Cline Equine Teaching Center on February 17, 2016 which honored the memory of her late husband Charles. The state-of-the-art facility features a teaching barn, small indoor arena, mare foaling stalls, classrooms and more, providing hands-on opportunities for students and industry partners to learn cutting-edge production and management practices. Located near the OSU Animal Sciences Arena, the center was made possible by a significant contribution from Linda Cline. The Cline family credits much of its success with the Char-Lin Ranch in Cushing to information and assistance from faculty in the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at OSU.
Linda had previously established the Cline Family Equine Sciences Professorship which provides funds to an OSU faculty member to assist students and youth in a variety of equine programs, horse shows and judging contests, and supports graduate students in equine teaching and activities.
In recognition of her years of support and philanthropy, Linda was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Oklahoma State University Animal Science Department in 2015. Later that year, she was named one of three DASNR Champions, the Division’s highest award for non-alumni.
Most recently, Linda provided funds to establish the Horse Judging Team Endowment to provide travel and scholarship support to OSU.
She also recently established the Cline Family Equine Internship Endowment which allows OSU students additional opportunities to work at the equine teaching center and gain valuable hands-on experience.
Linda’s additional philanthropy, organizations and volunteerism includes:
- The Right Path Literacy Project and Therapeutic Horseback Riding
- Linda has recently dedicated a portion of Char-Lin Ranch to build a veteran rehab facility to assist the Veterans With PTSD.
- Shiloh Camp
- AQHA Scholarship Program
