Sunwolf Farms was established in 1996 in Frazier Park, California.
Sunnie Rose, owner, operator, instructor, mental health facilitator
and mentor has been riding since the age of 3.
She began riding with her mother Suzanne at age two, then,
graduated to her own pony at the age of 3. "Shadow" her
little Shetland pony was quite a challenge for her as he
left her in the dirt more often than on her back, however
this never stopped Sunnie from getting back on.
Sunnie grew up in Artesia, California in the 60's and 70's
when dairy farms and stables were the main landscapes. Riding
from dawn to dusk with other youths, Sunnie mentored under
the strict watchful eye of Mr. Charles Eddie, a cowboy and
horse trainer from the early 1900's at Leo's stables. (Leo
Grenier).
In 1973 a family move to Hollywood put her riding endeavors
on hold while she attended school, built a photography business
and then moved to Lake Tahoe. Returning to Hollywood in the
early 80's, Sunnie began to work at her Father's television
studio, "La Brea Studios" in fashion and glamour
photography as well as in film, video and advertising promotion.
All the while, Sunnie would ride as often as she could,
visiting her Mother and bonus Dad Lynn's ranch in Chatsworth's
Brown's Canyon, renting horses from Sunset Ranch, Hollywood
Stables and the local Griffith Park rent strings all this
in needing to feel grounded and in touch with her roots of
the country and the lifestyle.
In 1984, Sunnie's bonus uncle Lee passed away. She then
acquired one of his favorite horses, a 13 year old, Quarter
Horse named "Big Enough". Story goes Lee had won
him in a crap game, sight unseen and shipped from Wyoming!
Sunnie had been living in the Hollywood Hill's famous "Beachwood
Drive" for 3 years, and there was no question that she
would keep her horse up the street under the Hollywood Sign
at the "Smith's", Sunset Ranch.
In 1986 She became friends with the Smith's and began mentoring
under Steven Smith Sr., and Steve Smith Jr. learning to rope,
and polish up on skills learned long ago.
While working in Law, Sunnie also became the manager of Sunset
Ranch, Hollywood Stables managing the care of 60 rental
horses, doing promotions for the ranch and tending the
daily ranch business as Steve Smith Jr. hit the PRCA curcuit
in bareback bronc riding and team roping ads Sr. managed
his ranch in Nevada.
In 1989 Steve's, Jr. and Sr., as a bonus for running the
ranch and business took Sunnie on an adventure to find another
horse that would be something she could start from scratch,
and show. They traveled as far as to Paso Robles, Ca. the
Parkfield area and visited Sr.'s sister, Zee Varian. There
they saw many horses, but only brought one home. It was a
little buckskin horse (Z Dun Reinin aka Phoenix) Steve Sr.
had got for himself, but just a few weeks later was the horse
he wanted Sunnie to have.
Under Steve watchful eye he hauled her to a few Gymkhana's.
He and Stevie Jr. coached and taught her the skills that
later would take her and Phoenix to great places.
"Steve Smith Sr. passed away in 1989, just as he had
just showed me how to become one with a horse. His way of
describing the feel of getting it, just pierced through me,
and has stuck forever." Steve Sr. had the largest impact
on where Sunnie is today. She credits him for her polished
skills and ambition to take her talents to grander places. "He
is whom I think about almost on a daily basis. When I am
successful at something, I can see him smiling. He passed
away much too young, has left an incredible legacy, cared
deeply about a wonderful family, had a great sense of humor
and a cowboy's temper ... his memory has marked my heart
forever."
In 1990 Sunnie won the Riverside Gymkhana Associations top
award for the years competitions and won the All Around Champion
Trophy Saddle. She moved to Aubrey, Texas and went on to
rodeo 10 to 16 rodeos a year, all over the country from to
1990 until 2002 winning dozens of buckles on her Horse Phoenix
and a 1992 World Championship in Pole Bending and a Reserve
World Championship in Barrel Racing.
In 1996 Sunnie moved to Frazier Park, California, settled
in and built a home and business that provides horseback
riding services to the Mountain Communities, it's tourists,
as well as Kern, Los Angeles and Ventura County residents.
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