Meet the Heart Behind Willow Brook

My wife, Brook Stroud, is the owner and driving force behind this business. Her passion for horses runs deep, rooted in a family legacy and shaped by years of hard work, dedication, and hands-on experience. What started as a childhood dream has grown into a full-fledged ranching and training operation built on grit, skill, and a love for the western way of life.

Here’s her story: 

"I was born into a family whose lives revolved around horses. My grandfather ran cattle and had two working ranch horses—one of them, a big palomino named Major, came from George Humphreys, a name now known as the legendary 6666 Ranch. In our family, you didn’t just get handed a horse—you earned it. And that’s exactly what I set out to do. When I was in kindergarten, I made a deal with my dad: if I could read him an entire book aloud by myself, I’d get my first horse. Three months later, I met Apache—a 16.2-hand sorrel Appaloosa with a spotted blanket. He was my first real partner, and the perfect gentle giant.

One of the hardest early lessons I learned—like many kids growing up around horses—is knowing when to sit down, be quiet, and just listen. In a horse family, you realize quickly that you’re always a student, no matter how much you think you know.

I started barrel racing at age 6 and began competing at 10 after raising and training my first real barrel horse, Midnight. (That's her in photo to the left)  Midnight became the foundation of what would eventually become Willow Brook. Since then, I’ve earned multiple titles across several associations including NBHA, AOHA, NWASCA, WCBSC, and SPRA.

In 2011, I had the opportunity to attend a week-and-a-half clinic with Martha Josey. That experience didn’t just sharpen my skills as a rider and trainer—it taught me how to teach. It lit a spark in me to not only train better horses but to help others do the same.

Today, through Willow Brook, I combine years of hands-on ranch experience with a deep passion for horsemanship. Whether it’s starting colts, training barrel horses, or helping riders reach the next level, I’m here to offer more than just a service—I’m here to share a lifelong love and knowledge of horses, built from the ground up." - Brook