54 August 21, 2014
Paso Robles
Horsetown Highlights: • Population: 30,556 • County: San Luis Obispo • Avg. High Temp: 75.7° F • Avg. Low Temp: 43.2° F
• Avg. Annual Rainfall: 12 inches
• Elevation: 740 feet
• Median Home Price: $386,200
• Popular Horse Activities in Town: NRCHA Derby, NSHA Futurity, PCCHA Futurity, high school rodeo, Mid-State Fair
• Compelling Horsetown Features: Trail riding along the Salinas River, and around Lakes Santa Margarita, San Antonio and Nacimiento; Central Coast Equine Experience; trail riding groups; cutting, reining, roping, eventing and other horse shows.
Ride and Wine I
Ranches, history, wineries paint Paso Robles landscape
by audrey pavia for the horsetrader
t was 1797 when Father Junipero Serra planted more than 1,000 grapevines in the pristine hills of California’s central coast. T e vineyard, adjacent to one of the Central Coast’s most beautiful missions, San Miguel Arcangel, would eventually become part of a pic- turesque community rich in history, viticulture, and, of course, horses. Paso Robles, located in northern San Luis Obispo
County, is home to 30,000 residents. Incorporated in 1889, the name Paso Robles comes from the Spanish El Paso de Robles, or “The Pass of the Oaks.” Situated 230 miles north of Los Angeles and 210 miles south of San Francisco, this 19.9-acre city is a haven for horse lovers.
Western Legacy The history of Paso Robles (called simply “Paso” by residents) goes back to the founding days of the Mission
San Miguel Arcangel, when the Franciscans established agriculture in the area. After growing grapes for use in making sacramental wine and brandy for export, the Franciscans abandoned their crops after Mexico secularized the missions. Two decades later, farmers who had immigrated from Europe settled the area and continued the wine growing tradition. Besides its fertile land and optimal climate for grape
growing, Paso Robles also hosted a bastion of hot springs, mineral-rich waters perfect for soothing aches and pains. The Salinas Indians, who had inhabited the area for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans, appreciated these warm waters. In the 1860s, word spread throughout the West of the springs’ healing effect. People came from all over the state to partake in Paso’s therapeutic hot springs and mud baths. The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1886
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Vineyards and horses are part of Paso Robles past, present, and future.
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