THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE STORY BY JENNIFER BAILEY
ABOVE: Lennie Bertrand, owner of Bertrand’s Horse Ranch, Petting Zoo, and Pony Rides; feeds some of the animals at his ranch in rural Watseka.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Today kicks off our 12-story road-trip series looking at the people and places along Illinois 1 — from Watseka to Paris.
WATSEKA — Tucked away on a 100-acre property about a mile off Illinois 1 is the home of Freckles the goat, a reigning horse of the year and a small business that provides the furry star power for animal events across Illinois — and beyond.
Welcome to Bertrand’s Horse Ranch, Petting Zoo and Pony Rides of rural Watseka, where Lennie Bertrand has just about “everything” to pet or purchase — 45 miniature horses and ponies, cows and Watusi cattle, goats, sheep, alpacas, donkeys, and a pig.
He also has dogs, including Charlie and Coco, and a cat that thinks it’s a dog.
For anyone who has been to a petting zoo in the area — be it at a fair, an event or a nursing-home visit — it’s a good bet the adorable animals came from Bertrand, who grew up around livestock and built a booming business with his auctioneer brother, Mike.
FOR MORE FROM THIS STORY PLEASE GO TO https://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/community-events/having-fun-on-illinois-1-from-watseka-to-paris/article_11110bcd-29ff-4f9c-a50e-e07e8134f139.html
