Cattle Farmers Brings Live Reindeer Encounters to Santa Claus, Indiana
In partnership with: Indiana State Department of Agriculture
Thanks to its unique name, Santa Claus, Indiana, is a town known for its holiday-themed attractions, including the Santa Claus Museum & Village, the Christmas in July event, and Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari.
But cattle farmers Jason and Tracy Haycox thought there was still something needed to round out the festive spirit: live reindeer.
Magical Beginnings
“We have a background raising Angus cattle, but it’s been our dream to bring live reindeer to the Santa Claus area since we purchased our farm,” Tracy says. “With the special relation to the holiday season, the town’s connection to Christmas and reindeers’ gentle nature, they’re a perfect choice to create educational displays and interactions with the public.”
The couple purchased a retired dairy farm and launched Santa’s Reindeer Ranch with their first reindeer, Comet, in 2019. They now have four reindeer: Comet, Blitzen, Clara and Clara’s calf, Thunder.
During the holiday season, they offer reindeer encounters to the public by reservation. Guests can get up close and personal with the animals, feed them and take unforgettable photographs. Afterward, the gift shop offers fun souvenirs to commemorate the enchanting experience.
Santa’s Reindeer Ranch also offers reindeer rental for live events, such as Christmas tree lightings, parties and weddings.
“The public has been really excited about our reindeer displays and future offerings of reindeer encounters on the farm,” Tracy says. “We’ve received really great feedback for providing such a magical experience.”
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Building the Ranch
Tracy and Jason currently have other full-time businesses, including an excavation business and a dog daycare and boarding operation. She says the goal is to make Santa’s Reindeer Ranch a full-time business with even more reindeer to showcase.
“The future looks bright for Santa’s Reindeer Ranch,” Tracy says. “We plan to add more reindeer to our herd and eventually some more cool animals that the public will be able to interact with at our ranch. We’re really excited to create an educational experience for these wonderful animals.”
Visitors can check Santa’s Reindeer Ranch website, santaclausreindeer.com, and Facebook page for more information and to make reindeer encounter reservations.