One Valley’s Allure

The Story Behind Destination Equus’ Inaugural Tour

Somehow I think Arabian horses were infused in my wiring while en utero. I can remember being enthralled with the “flying horses with high tails” when in 1st grade book clubs. I can remember how my heart stopped when I first saw “Sheba” running in the round pen. She became my first horse /Arabian at 12 years old. I remember not believing my luck at being offered a summer job at 14 years old with Four Star Arabians, who then was home to the great Padrons Psyche. Whenever I was at his lead— he was always bouncing, yet never once jerked on the young girl holding him— a thrill rose from my toes to my smile. And I can remember gingerly turning pages of The Arabian Horse Times as I read about what certainly was my eutopia: Santa Ynez Valley. Someday, I told myself, I would go.

You know how sometimes when you finally fulfill a childhood dream as an adult, it almost inevitably carries with it a twinge of adulthood disappointment? Somehow it wasn’t quite as big or grand or lovely as what you were sure you envisioned as a child. In fact, sometimes I find myself protecting the grandness of the memory by never pursuing it for fear that the real thing will be diluted with adult reality.

In my career preceding Destination Equus, I was fortunate to be working in my passion as the marketing manager for the Arabian Horse Association. A lot of travel was involved, so when an off-site meeting was called in Santa Ynez, I went into it with mixed feelings. It was exciting to finally be going, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to let my eutopic imaginations be disappointed.

Our meeting host could see through my initial composure and set up a series of farm visits to meet famed horses I’d only read about. It wasn’t long before my nose was pressed against the window, with legendary farms whizzing by left and right. Intersperse vineyards and the amount of beauty, history and emotion I was trying to soak in was almost too overwhelming. I sat back, happy and relaxed knowing that this was one rare moment in life where reality would actually supersede my imagination.

The next day we visited the farms and their owners. What a rare quality of good people, excited to share their Valley with me. I could see instantly that what I imagined, they lived everyday.

As we got ready to leave the last farm, I walked away from the group and stood in silent awe at what was before me. The sun was setting over the golden hills, accented by white fence and an exquisite 3 week old filly. I reflected back on my experience the last two days, and it was in this moment that Destination Equus and the Valley of the Arabian Horse Farm & Wine Tasting Tour were born. “Every Arabian horse lover should be able to experience this,” I thought.

The farms of the Valley are excited to host you as you experience a weekend of pampered luxury, world-class wineries and some of the world’s most standard-setting Arabian horses and farms. You’ll gather the full experience with private horse presentations, leisurely farm walk-through’s, photography by Darryl Larson– one of the world’s best, meals on the farm grounds and the grand finale of the tour, a semi-formal “Champions of the Valley Evening Gala”- a night of glitz and glamour straight out of the old Scottsdale party days. It is always a weekend unique to anything offered before in the equine community.

So allow yourself to revisit imagination– disappointment is not allowed in this Valley. For everyone whose life has been enthralled with the Arabian horse, this adventure is for you.

Evie Tubbs
Owner, Destination Equus

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