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Winslow heads rennovationBy ELAINE HAITEWhen Mark Winslow took over as manager of the 55-acre thoroughbred breeding farm on Rincon Street in Corona the place was a shambles.Dead trees dotted the once-green pastures, fences lay mangled in disrepair, and stalls, which once housed some of the finest examples of the proud breed, were being rented out as storage sheds.The breeding farm had stood vacant for seven years, abandoned as a place of refuge by its former owner, Hollywood star Desi Arnaz, when Dr. Jan Davidian, an Orange -County orthodontist, bought it over a year ago. j“It took two-to-three months just to clear the barns,” said Winslow.Twenty-five-year-old Winslow was managing a farm in Murrieta when Davidian sought his advise in the purchase of the former Corona Breeding Farm.He and his 23-year-old wife Sheri had opened a small antique and plant shop, which they left behind when Davidian offered him the opportunity to run the farm, newly-dubbed Bar-D-Zok.“My grandmother always says that I have an awful big responsibility and I guess she’s right,” said Winslow, side-stepping to avoid trouncing on a pint-sized dachshund named Daisy.Glancing around the rambling ranch-style Winslow residence it is e-vident that his penchant for antiques is still going strong.A glass of ice tea rests unprotected atop a stunning oak diningroom table surrounded on all sides by*antique press-back chairs of varyingdescriptions.The upper portion of a genuine rolltop desk rests in the middle of an adjoining room. Its matching component sits upright in the empty three-car garage patiently awaiting another assault with sandpaper and stripping agent.* * *Standing in the shade next to the empty stall that once housed Nashville, the pride of Arnaz’ stock, Winslow said that the oversized equine penthouse was once equipped with two-inch thick padding, fire alarms and sprinklers, a heating :.nd cooling system, and an automatic door release in case of fire.Nashville, was a multi-million dollar neo-foundation sire for the quarter horse breed, according to Winslow. He was the star in a cast of 150 to 200 horses, which populated the farm during the previous decade.The process of rebuilding the breeding farm to the level of its former grandeur is a long and hard process.There are 45 horses housed year-round now, with as many as 85 during breeding season from February through June. “We hope to double that figure next year,” said Winslow.The pride and joy of the Davidian farm is Gladwin, the tenth leading sire in the state among money earners, he said.Davidian has spent well over $30,000 in renovating the farm since he bought it 16 months ago, said. Winslow.Hundreds of dollars was spent just25-YEAR-OLD MARK WINSLOW, MANAGER OF THE BAR-D-ZOK BREEDING FARMHopes to restore the former Desi Arnaz farm to its former grandeur-Staff Photofor white and black paint to spruce up the buildings and fences, said Winslow, over his shoulder as he plodded up the crest of a hill where he had just completed building eight 30-feet square pens.“Most farm managers sit in an office all day and hire the work out to be done,” he said with a hint of pride. “I’m an outside person so most of the work here has been done by us.”In addition to the myriad repairs to be completed above ground, Winslow must add the antiquated flood irrigation system underground which was inherited by the present owner.' ► %“Today is the first day that we’ve irrigated without having a line break,” he said. Using the flood system, Winslow said that he 'irrigates once every six weeks for about a week and every time a pipe breaks someone is up at the farmcomplaining.The farm owner may be forced by circumstances to install a modern sprinkler system however, said Winslow.The City of Corona is currently negotiating with Davidian for right-of-way across his property in order to extend Lincoln Avenue betweenRailroad to River Road.Winslow said that if that happens he will lose his main water lines and pumps, which would require acomplete overhauling of the watering system.Armed with an Associated Arts degree from Lassen College near his hometown of Susanville and a scholarship to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as outstanding agriculture student, Winslow said that he initially wanted to be a farm advisor.He said that he feels sure that hiseducation will help him in his pursuit “without a doubt.”
Newspaper Details
Corona Daily Independent
Corona, California, US
Tue, Aug 09, 1977
Page 1
Full Page
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Anonymous
NA 11 Dec 2019
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