Sheila Varian

1937 - 2016 | The Guiding Light of Varian Arabians

The Varian broodmare line is into its 9th generation, which started with the three Polish mares Sheila imported in 1961. Her stallion line is currently in its 5th generation tracing back to the original Varian stallion, Bay Abi++, who was purchased as a 2 year old in 1959 by Sheila. Starting with a Morgan/Percheron when she was 8 years old, Sheila has build Varian Arabians into the Nationally and Internationally known Arabian horse farm that it is.

Sheila was honored to receive the Arabian Breeders Association Breeder of the Year Award in 2005 at the US Nationals and was inducted into the Cowgirl Hall of Fame, a rare and much deserved honor, in 2003. Sheila is one of the few people who is knowledgeable in the old time California Vaquero techniques of training a horse and is much sought after to share this knowledge. Sheila enjoys sharing her stories and anecdotes about her 50+ years of breeding during the annual open house events, the Varian Spring Fling and the Summer Jubilee.

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