It all kicked off in 1998, with Nickel.

A two-year-old burrow purchased from an area horse sale, Nickel became a master at breaking even the most tenacious of calves. A fantastic teammate with stoic pull, he made halter-breaking a literal snap.

Nickel was also a fantastic actor in his own right, playing the role of Jesus’ donkey in countless Easter pageants and as Mary’s donkey led through many church Christmas plays and live nativities. He also entertained our own children with his love for mints of all kind, until he passed in 2020.

Seeing how helpful breaking donkeys could be for any operation, around 2009 we began training and placing them to fill the needs of local producers. And so, Pearce Donkey Company came to life.