Jim Murray

McLean and Murray aim to preserve genetics of Santa Cruz Island horses

by Joe Proudman, UC Davis

IT'S HOT AT EL CAMPEON FARMS, even for early August. A hard wind accompanies the heat, blowing through the Conejo Valley, where this horse ranch sits in Southern California. Abby Followwill is saddled on a horse named Vince. His golden-brown coat and blond mane stand out against the saturated blue sky and dusty corral where Followwill is training with him.