In 1927, WR Bar was established by William Ray “WR” Holland in Seibert, Colorado.  WR was born in Illinois in 1889 to Thomas Lincoln Holland and Ida Maria Knapp.  Thomas was a simple farmer that came to America to escape the famine in Ireland.  After dropping part of his last name he moved to Illinois, and began working several small jobs. In the spring of 1888 he met Ms. Knapp, of Morrowville, Kansas.  After a short courtship they were married that summer, and  they homesteaded a small piece of land to call home.  In 1889, WR was born and grew up on the farm until he was fit to live on his own.  WR moved west to the new frontier and settled in Colorado.  In 1927, at the age of 30, WR was living in Seibert, Colorado on a small stretch of land in cattle country when he decided to name his modest ranch and register his brand with the Colorado State Board of Stock Inspection Commissioners for three dollars.  WR with an extended bar was registered and placed on the gates entering the ranch.  The WR Bar ranch suffered through the Dust Bowl of the 30’s, where dirt and sand had to be shoveled like snow. Cattle would get caught in the cactus, and counts had to be made to keep a tally of lost and stolen cattle. WR’s perseverance shows that all storms shall pass with sunny days to follow.  WR continued to run cattle and horses until the day of his passing.  The ownership of the band was transferred to his grandson, Jackie Darrow Holland, in 1956.  Jackie moved the operation to Indian Hills, Colorado to raise mostly horses and some cattle with the help of his older brother Joe, upon his return from military service.

In 1975, operations moved to New Mexico where the brothers decided to enter quarter horse racing under the brand.  WR Bar remained in Jackie’s name as Joe took the lead and moved the parents down to the ranch while Jackie stayed in Colorado to raise his family.  From 1975 to 2012, WR Bar has stood the test of time and has weathered a lot of joy and hardship, but has remained as a steadfast symbol of the Holland legacy.  It has seen its share of joy and laughter as well as sadness and sorrow.  It is a true meaning of a working class man’s identity that has seen many of tails told and has existed as a young nation grows.

Now in 2016 it has entered into a new frontier, with a strong hold on the past, it rides into the world of modern aviation.  With a slight modification that will embrace the new challenge, WR Bar has now become WR Bar Helicopters, LLC.  William Ray Holland would be proud of his descendants and what they have achieved with a simple little brand that bares his name and sent him into the Wild Wild West.  It is here that the ol’ west meets modern aviation at its finest, with state of the art FAA approved simulations and instructions on an advanced flight teaching device. Professional pilots along with students and weekend warriors will be able to sharpen their skills, maintain their currency, and be able to fly in every weather a mind can dream up.  Imagine: you’re flying at high altitude, or over rough terrain, or coming in off the ocean with high winds that blows snow and rain, and then suddenly the engine quits.  What do you do?  Here at WR Bar Helicopters with the guidance of a trained flight instructor, you can learn to know how to handle these situations and more because we can create just those kind of flights.  It is our mission to prepare each pilot with the worst of the worst scenarios, so if it were ever to happen, they would be prepared.  In addition to this, we can transition you from piston to turbine driven engines.  Plus, we will prepare you for your recurrent training with your company.  We can keep you current on your IFR status, and give you the necessary recent experience needed. Work overs in new areas will be no problem because you will have the advanced knowledge by coming here and flying in area.  Familiarize yourself at a fraction of the cost.