DudeRanch.com: From $17K Auction Win to Full-Circle Redemption

In November 2009, Peter Askew found himself in a bidding war that would define the next decade of his career. The domain? DudeRanch.com. The stakes? A chance to own the perfect match for an entire vacation industry.

After 35 minutes of intense bidding, Peter won with a final bid of $17,949.

The Opportunity

DudeRanch.com had expired after its previous owner—a dude ranch in New York state—went out of business. For most people, "dude ranch" might sound like a niche market. But Peter saw the numbers clearly.

Family vacations at dude ranches weren't cheap. All-inclusive weekly rates for a family of four typically ranged from $8,000 to $20,000 for premium destinations. This was a high-value vacation category, and there was no central marketplace making it easy for families to find and book their ideal ranch experience.

The domain name was perfect. Descriptive. Memorable. Exactly what people would search for when planning their western vacation.

Peter had found his opportunity.

The Trademark Problem

Days after closing the auction, Peter received a cease and desist letter.

Trademark infringement.

Just like his later experience with CallTracking.com, Peter faced an immediate legal challenge. Someone else had registered trademarks around "DudeRanch," and they weren't happy about his domain purchase.

For many investors, this would be a dealbreaker. You've just spent nearly $18,000 on a domain you might not be able to use.

But Peter negotiated. After weeks of back-and-forth between lawyers, he reached an agreement and secured the necessary trademarks. The domain was his—legally and completely.

Building the Platform

With the legal issues resolved, Peter got to work building his vision: a marketplace for dude ranch vacations that was simpler and more user-friendly than existing competitors.

His strategy was straightforward:

• Sign up ranches at competitive rates
• Create a clean, navigable interface
• Target 50 ranches in year one, another 50 in year two
• Focus on making it easy for families to discover and book

Peter didn't just work from behind a computer. He traveled extensively, visiting over 50 dude ranches across multiple states. He met ranch owners, stayed at their properties, and immersed himself in the industry.

These weren't just business trips—they were research expeditions that gave Peter deep insights into what made the dude ranch experience special and what guests were looking for when booking their vacations.

The Partnership

A few years into running DudeRanch.com, Peter connected with David McCollough, who owned GuestRanches.com. Both were operating in the same space with complementary approaches.

Rather than compete, they partnered.

The collaboration allowed them to offer a more comprehensive advertising solution for dude ranches. Together, they could reach more potential guests and provide better service to ranch operators who wanted to fill their bookings.

The partnership worked. DudeRanch.com became a trusted platform in the industry, built on Peter's deep relationships with ranch owners and his understanding of what guests wanted from their western vacation experiences.

The Sale and Reacquisition

In 2019, Peter made a business decision: he sold DudeRanch.com to David McCollough to fund a new project.

For most entrepreneurs, that would be the end of the story. You build something, you sell it, you move on.

But in 2023, Peter had an opportunity to bring it all full circle.

David offered to sell not just DudeRanch.com back to Peter, but also GuestRanches.com and DudeRanchVacations.com as a package. Peter jumped at the chance.

Fourteen years after winning that auction in 2009, Peter was back in control of the domain he'd fought to acquire, built from scratch, and now reclaimed.

You can follow Peter Askew on Twitter at @searchbound for more insights into domain investments and his adventures in the dude ranch industry.