A world-famous horse ranch in Arroyo Grande has new owners.
Simon Arkell and wife Caprice closed on the Varian Equestrian Center last Friday, becoming the newest owners of the sprawling 150-acre horse ranch nestled in the rolling hills of south San Luis Obispo County.
"We decided that this could be a fantastic opportunity for us to not only honor the history of the place,” Simon Arkell said of the purchase. “But also to turn it into something that could be remarkable and to do that by involving the rest of the community in San Luis Obispo and the equestrian community nearby."
Sheila Varian, a famous U.S. Arabian horse breeder, started the ranch in the early 1950s as a breeding facility for the popular horses.
The ranch was previously called the Varian Arabians Ranch. The new owners, deciding to open the facility to boarding for all horses, changed the name to Varian Equestrian Center.
Varian died of cancer in 2016.
The ranch has been described as the birthplace of some of the best Arabian horses in the world and up to 70% of all Arabian horses registered in the U.S. carry the Varian bloodline, according to a ranch press release detailing the change of ownership.
About 100 Arabian horses currently roam the property.
The Arkells hope to add hiking trails.
Simon Arkell competed in the 1992 and 1996 Olympic games for Australia as a pole-vaulter.
Learn more about the center at its website.
