4B Ranch Productions
by Debi Katsmar·

From left to right: Mark Dobrindt, Tom Bishop Sr., Tom Bishop Jr., Sharron Whitty, Russ Vamplew

1889: “Buffalo Bill” Cody was mounted on a magnificent dappled grey horse of 15 1/2 hands and wore a pair of tight, fine leather riding boots up to his thighs & guantlet gloves. In front of him about 30 feet walked a man who would toss a glass ball in the air every few yards each one shattered with a bullet and a roar from Buffalo Bill's gun. The crowd reacted with wild enthusiasm at the ease and remarkable showmanship of this statuesque figure. It is not hard to understand how such a startling event could leave a lasting impression on a youngster's mind, to remain there for a lifetime, and this was Thomas W. Bishop's first contact with the "Wild West".

This first vision of the “Wild West” was to one day become the 4B Ranch and enthuse the young lives of the Bishop family for generations to come.

Now in it’s ninth decade, 4B Ranch Productions is operated by Tom Bishop Sr, his wife Jan and children Tom Jr., Sarah, and Sally (Sally having her own production company out west). The family has grown their love of horses, their enthusiasm for trick riding and entertainment to a venue that has appeared across three continents - performing before members of the Saudi Arabian Royal Family to the World Boy Scout Jamboree, from Branson, Mo. to CasinoRama to the Gene Autry Heritage Museum in Los Angeles.  They have appeared at Medieval Times, Dixie Stampede, Six Flags Amusements, Cavalia, Calgary Stampede, California State Fair, and Sacramento to mention a few.

4B Ranch Productions produces the “Wild, Wild, West Show”, having roman riding, trick roping, Smilin’ Dan (Mark Dobrindt) and more. The Bishops are booked year round to appear at varying venues throughout Canada, the U.S. and beyond.  This is not all however, Tom Sr, Sally, and Tom Jr can also be seen appearing in movies, TV series’ and their horses in television commercials and print ads as well. 4B has become successful in many areas of the entertainment world.

Their film and TV credits include: The Prince & Me, Salem Witch Trials, Dead Zone, Murdoch Mysteries, The Campbells, Road to Avonlea and through Sally’s “Sure Shot Productions” in Alberta - Wild Roses and Heartland. For a more complete list of credits click here.

The Bishop’s enjoy training their animals and performing in front of crowds of on-lookers. Their business has grown as such that they regularly hire local talent for help on-set and at the shows. They even offer trick riding lessons at their farm for those agile youngsters looking for something more to do with horses than simply riding. Other acts they have include: Dr. Shelby Alcott’s Medicine Show; a working gold-panning demonstration, they have over 30 period horse drawn wagons and coaches, western displays and memorabilia, and an organ grinder complete with monkey. Lily the monkey is famous in her own right – she was the monkey on the Telus commercials. 

We have to congratulate the Bishops, and 4B Ranch Productions for keeping a part of the “wild west” alive for so many years. We all want to be cowboys, they are living that dream. For the complete history on 4B Ranch Productions and the Bishop family, visit their website or Sally’s,  Sure Shot Productions.

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·   The total number of horses and ponies in the U.S. in 2007 as found by the Census is 4,028,827, with 575,942 of those animals residing on farms. That is up nearly 385,000 from the 3,644,278 horses and ponies that were counted when the last Census was taken in 2002.