From One Gesture Of Kindness: The Good Old Days, Part II, Sheila VarianFeatured in Arabian Horse Times

Featured in Arabian Horse Times

Bill Haven’s first article introduced him as young man who found his love for Arabian horses through his sister and mother. It quickly became a family affair of the Havens traveling around the United States befriending and learning from the greats like Jerry Smola of Lasma Arabians and Sheila Varian. Sheila was a welcoming presence to the family, willingly offering her expertise and advice in breeding at every turn. After Bill finished his time working with the Smolas he was hired by Sheila. This changed the trajectory of his career and life for the better, forever.

“Sheila was a very special friend, and I miss her very much,” Bill remembers his personal relationship with the Arabian horse industry icon.

Sheila Varian built an empire with Varian Arabians. And beyond that she was a helping hand, generous teacher, kind friend to many, wealth of knowledge, and the ultimate ambassador for the Arabian breed. Bill’s experience with Sheila gives a unique perspective which not only affirms those statements and her wonderful reputation, but also exemplified what many people feel is missing in the industry today – an honest, modest desire to help those around her.

The Early Days

Bill came to Varian Arabians at a time when Sheila had already found some success in breeding and showing. Still, none of them could be prepared for what was to come. Sheila had started to build a great program with Bay Abi and Bey El Bey. Jenny Ligon took care of breeding, foaling out the mares and managing the stallions. And now Bill had joined the team as a trainer and student of Sheila. With Sheila at the helm, the three of them were a small, but mighty team.

“Sheila had built such a good foundation with her breeding program and her business that she was in a perfect position to take her business to the next level,” Bill said about his early time at Varian. Bill always had the dream of running his own training business. He spoke with Sheila about that openly and honestly before and after she had hired him. As happens oftentimes, this did not unfold in the time frame he first expected. But, it happened for the better. In fact, all their lives unexpectedly changed for the better when a bay colt was born in the spring of 1976. This foal “with the longest neck [Bill] had ever seen” was named Huckleberry Bey.

A World Without Huck

It is nearly impossible to imagine an Arabian Horse Industry without Huckleberry Bey (Huck). But, there was a very real chance he never grew up to be who he became. Sheila had sold Taffona (Huck’s dam) to a local person while she was in foal to Bey El Bey (Huck’s sire) for $7,000. The person backed out of the deal shortly before Huck was born. So, Taffona, and her unborn foal, stayed part of the Varian family. It was fairly clear to them all after this colt hit the ground that they were grateful that deal fell through.

“Even as a weanling, we could tell he was special. I was the one who would be working with him. So, I got to see him up close from very early on. I learned Sheila’s halter breaking technique with Huck. Along with his long, high set neck, he was also the most flexible soft-to-the-feel horse I worked with my entire career. When I broke Huck under saddle he was the same, soft and flexible and a great athlete. Huck had an air about him from the start.”

Bill getting the chance to work with and break Huck is what delayed his departure from Varian. He was not going to pass up this opportunity to work with this talented horse and see where his career took him. Further than that, Bill felt a sense of gratitude and loyalty to Sheila and what she was creating with Varian Arabians. This rocket was about to take off and not only did he want to be part of the launch, but he knew that was the right thing to do. Investing in the people who gave you an opportunity is a valuable way to build and maintain a good reputation.

The Sheila Way

There is no doubt that Varian Arabians is a generational legacy. Sheila used her crop of horses, along with her hardworking attitude, and faith in other good people to build something epic. Breeding was always the center of what they did there, but Sheila saw that it was also important she showcase and share her horses with the competitive circuit. Sheila was a great trainer and got other great trainers involved with the Varian breeding program. It would be fair to assume that someone who was reaching that kind of success would want it to grow as fast as it could. But, Bill shares that he (and the horses) never felt rushed in their efforts.

“Sheila gave us all the time that we needed to get things figured out,” he shared. “She never got caught up in thinking she was great. She was sure of herself, but always had things in perspective. She knew what she exceled at and stayed in that lane.”

In the horse business and in anything, it is so important to know where we shine. From Bill’s point of view other reasons that Sheila was so successful were that she was not only a talented breeder, but a great businesswoman and honest communicator. She worked to have her stallions outproduce themselves, did her best to not carry debts, sold horses for fair prices, and gave people honest assessments of their horses. These were all gifts to herself and her community.

Good Things Don’t Really End

Bill will never forget how Sheila handled his departure from Varian Arabians. One final gesture of kindness from her. She filled his trailer with two of her own personal horses and six client horses so that he had a base for his business.

“I can never repay her for that,” Bill shared a sweet story about his mentor and friend. He added more about what he learned from her.

“Helping others is important. Today is no different than the good old days. Set goals and be honest with your ability. It takes years of work to become a good rider or breeder. I also learned to respect every person who is willing to take the time and money to get involved with the horse business. They are the most important part of our business and we should never forget that. Sheila would give as much time to a person buying a family trail horse as a national champion.”

Sheila’s legacy is not just about the horses she bred, but in how she made others feel. And in Bill’s words, “today is no different than the good old days.” We may not all have eight horses to send on a trailer, but there is likely something we can do to help a fellow “horse-crazy” friend.