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’ve always loved horses, their pure way of communicating and expressing love, plus the challenge of competing in a sport against men and women of all ages,” says Stefanie Saperstein as Quanto VL, her Grand Prix mount, plants a lick across her cheek in his stall. Four years ago, Saperstein was the highest-ranked rider in the United States under the age of 21 with the Anglo European warmblood. Now, at just 23 years old, she has her sights set on the 2016 Olympics in Rio but knows that “horses are not a guarantee—unlike sports like swimming or tennis, so much is out of your control. Everything has to come together at the perfect time for the Olympics.” Certainly there is no better place to prepare, mentally and physically, than her family’s ranch in Simi Valley. Set like a luminous jewel in the foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains, Hummingbird Nest Ranch is a sprawling 120-acre complex. It was the vision of Saperstein’s mother, socialite and philanthropist Suzanne, who, along with her ex-husband, David, transformed the swath of desert into a world-class professional equestrian facility (complete with its own helipad). At the end of a mile-long driveway, past olive groves and 100-year-old oaks, is the main villa, designed by architect Richard Robertson, who also built Suzanne’s Holmby Hills French masterpiece, Fleur de Lys. With massive, foot-thick adobe walls and gigantic hand-hewed beam ceilings, it’s like being transported to the countryside of Seville. Look into the distance, though, and you’re reminded you’re in California with a field of solar panels supporting the estate. The black-and-white photos lining the main staircase feature Sitting Bull cottage, an original structure that dates back to the 1920s. Today, the ranch is unparalleled even by the extreme standards of the show-jumping world. Suzanne, who was born in Sweden, traveled to several horse farms around Europe for inspiration and consulted with designer Ray Schully on >>
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A herringbone-tiled hallway with a hand-painted floral ceiling motif opens to outdoor patios overlooking the riding arenas. Saperstein hopes to bring 4-year-old, home-bred mare Eberia to the 2020 Olympic games. OPPOSITE The Moorishinfluenced dining room seats 14 and features massive hand-hewed beams and intricate ironwork.
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