To those in the Santa Ynez Valley who knew Pat Murphy, she was a kind person and had a talent for writing about people and places in the area. She passed away at 94-years-old on May 13, 2019. Her family already held a private ceremony for her, however they invite those who knew Murphy to attend an open memorial from 4 – 7 p.m. on Thursday, June 13, at the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum. 

Pat Murphy
Photo contributed

As a freelance writer for 47 years, Murphy wrote a column titled “Wool Gathering” for the Santa Ynez Valley News, and later one called Inside News. She also wrote a column titled “On The Social Scene” for the Santa Barbara News-Press. She wrote social columns for the Montecito Journal, and the horse oriented “Hoof Beats” for the Valley Journal. Her articles appeared in the Guest magazine as well as such national magazines as Western Horseman, California Thoroughbred, Countryside, Cowboys and Indians, and Das Tier in Germany and publications in England.

She was born in Waterloo, Iowa in 1925 and raised in California bu her aunt and grandmother after Murphy’s mother died.

Murphy graduated from Los Angeles High School and studied Interior Design and Architecture at USC where she pledged Delta Delta Delta Sorority. She married her husband Rex Murphy, and they designed and built their first home and had their daughter Shannon. 

In preparation for purchasing acreage in the Santa Ynez Valley, Murphy enrolled in Animal Science at Cal Poly Pomona and became interested in Suffolk sheep. Rex had his own successful business, Rex W. Murphy Engineering Company, and together they again designed and built their second home here in the Valley in 1970. Murphy established a registered Suffolk sheep business which she operated for more than 25 years. Shown at fairs and expositions, the Spirit Oaks Farm flock was known throughout the country. 

Murphy served on the Solvang Board of Human Services, founded Friends of Youth in Agriculture, and volunteered on various committees throughout the Valley, fundraising, preserving and championing agriculture and rural life. A Veterinarian Science leader for Lucky Clover 4-H, Murphy was also active in helping the local Santa Ynez F.F.A. program.  She was appointed to the Santa Barbara County Fair Board by the Governor and served for 12 years. Always a contributor of new ideas for raising Fair attendance and improving the fairgrounds, she suggested and designed the decorative gazebo that stands on the grounds. To encourage youth, Murphy established a competition for young exhibitors vying for Santa Barbara County titles for Cattle, Sheep and Swine Herdsmen.

Murphy was a founding member of the Santa Ynez Valley Equestrian Association and served on the Board for 19 years. She deeply loved horses of all breeds and was active in various Valley celebrations honoring them including the Horseshoe Crosswalks at the intersection of Edison and Sagunto Streets in Santa Ynez.

Murphy so enjoyed the Valley people and their history that it became her passion and her joy to celebrate them…a true labor of love. She was the author of Santa Ynez Valley Secrets, a book recounting the local history as well as the adventures of hundreds of Valley residents, which received wide acclaim, selling out with each edition.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Santa Ynez Valley Historical Museum & Parks-Janeway Carriage House, P.O. Box 181, Santa Ynez, CA 93460 or the Santa Ynez Valley Equestrian Association, P.O. Box 207, Santa Ynez, CA 93460.

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Summer Fanning, 14, plans to be a veterinarian when she gets older and her sister Grace, 12, plans to be a horse trainer. Meanwhile, they love spending time with their animals.

Like hundreds of other local youth, the sisters from Santa Ynez have spent the past eight months raising and training the animals they will show in the upcoming Santa Barbara County Fair.

“We started helping our older siblings before we were allowed to be in 4-H, and we love being around the animals so much,” Summer said.

“Taking care of animals teaches us responsibility and that the animals depend on us to do it properly,” Grace added.

The sisters, who are part of Lucky Clover 4-H Club in Santa Ynez, will each be showing a heifer and a pig during this year’s fair, which will run from July 11-15 at the Santa Maria Fairpark.

Big-name music acts include Trace Adkins and Kool & the Gang. Attractions include carnival rides, petting zoo, pony rides, a Destruction Derby and, as always, “fair food” such as churros, cotton candy and popcorn.

The Fanning sisters spend roughly four hours a day washing, grooming, feeding and cleaning up after their animals. They plan to sell the animals at the fair and put their profits into their bank account after all the expenses are paid. They will then wait until August to buy new animals and start all over again for next year’s fair.

“We are saving money for college, and this process also teaches us how to manage money,” Summer added.

She has participated in 4-H for the past nine years and Grace for the past five. They started out showing turkeys. They said they love fair week when they get to camp with all their friends and run around the fairpark early in the morning.

The sisters have taken home many awards, including a few first places at the fair, but they are hoping one of them wins the Grand Champion this year.

Prizes are also awarded in contests for homemade pies, jelly and jams, quilts, wine, photography and horticulture. Agriculture education booths are also set up by local groups such as the Santa Barbara County Cattlewomen.

To see a full schedule of events or to buy tickets, log onto www.santamariafairpark.com.

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Lucky Clover 4-H

For the past few months, members of the Lucky Clover 4-H Club have been writing and memorizing speeches about topics ranging from how to correctly flip a cow’s twisted stomach to poems about World War II.

They started at county presentation day in January, where they all received gold rankings, which is the highest award possible at that level.

Then two months later, they competed at the sectional presentation day at Cal Poly SLO and again they all achieved gold.

Now they are preparing for State Presentation Day at the end of June on the UC Davis campus.

A Lucky Clover parent emphasized the benefits a student gets from the public speaking project.

“The benefits of the public speaking project are vast, but the greatest benefit I’ve seen in my daughter is her confidence in herself. The growth she has shown while speaking to small or large groups is outstanding. She doesn’t hide behind me anymore. She stands out and speaks up,” said Kaci Morrell.

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Nine members of the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club volunteered recently to be evaluators at the Santa Barbara County 4-H Presentation Day held in Los Alamos.

Each year 4-H hosts three public speaking events at the county, sectional, and state levels where members make presentations in a variety of formats to a panel of evaluators.

“This program is a wonderful opportunity for kids to develop the skill of public speaking,” said Jennifer Berman, the public speaking project leader for Lucky Clover 4H, “but it is always a challenge to find enough adult evaluators.”

Recognizing the problem, her daughter Olivia set out to find a solution.

“Since Rotary and 4-H are both national organizations, the idea of partnering them together seemed like the perfect answer,” said Olivia, a sophomore at SYVHS and a seven-year member of 4-H.

She is working on her Emerald Star project, a program that helps individual 4-H members improve in the areas of organization, leadership, and project planning. Her idea includes connecting 4-H and Rotary at the state and national levels. To do so, she will create a complete program of information including scripts, pitch deck, forms, training guide, and on-line videos that any 4-H club can use to solicit Rotary member volunteers in their area and train them to be evaluators.

To test her idea, she first made a presentation to the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club. She was excited when nine members volunteered.

“When I saw how eager they were to help, I knew they were the answer. They are awesome!” Olivia said.

According to SYV Rotary president Joe Dugan, it was a rewarding experience for club members.

“Rotarians know how nerve-wracking public speaking can be,” he said. “We were impressed with the poise and preparation demonstrated by the 4-H participants. Our members enjoyed the experience and hope to be invited again to assist.”

Rotary International has 1.2 million members worldwide and brings together business and professional leaders who work to solve community problems, provide humanitarian aid, and promote goodwill and peace.

The Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club meets every Wednesday at noon at Root 246 in Solvang.

4-H is America’s largest youth development organization with over 6 million members. The Lucky Clover 4-H Club meets the first Monday of every month at the Grange in Los Olivos.

“By solving this chronic problem,” Olivia said, “Rotarians will help this very valuable program continue to thrive and grow. It’s a perfect match.”

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As this year’s Santa Ynez Valley Youth Recreation Queen, Madi Bramsen hopes to bring a different flavor to the annual fundraising effort.

“I hope to bring both my Spanish and my Danish heritage together for this year’s campaign,” she said.

“My family knows just about everyone in the valley and we have a great time together. It was a party when everyone found out I got named queen, and I can’t wait to kick off this campaign,” said Madi, 17, of Santa Ynez.

The bubbly teenager is fifth-generation in the valley as her great-great-grandparents on her mother’s side came to the valley.

Madi said she gets her sense of style from her great-grandmother, Martha Gonzalez.

Her great-grandparents, Ray and Martha Gonzalez, are still very much alive. During Madi’s interview with the Star even, they walked by the Valley Grind coffee shop and popped in to say how proud they were of her.

“She is such a joy, and we are so proud she was chosen queen. She will do a great job,” Martha Gonzalez said.

“Growing up here with all my family is awesome. My mom, aunts, grandma and great-grandma and I are so close, and we all love fashion and being flashy. We definitely get our sense of style from her,” Madi laughed.

The Gonzalezes own the Western-style building on Sagunto Street that is the office of Joe Olla Realty. She said that building was a bar at the turn of the century.

Madi laughed and said her destiny to become rec queen started when she was a little girl and her parents were told, “Someday your daughter could be the Youth Rec Queen.” She was thrilled when that prediction came true this year, and she hopes she can achieve as much success as prior queens.

SYV Youth Rec has raised more than $3 million in the past 62 years for local youth programs and facilities and has funded many projects at the high school, fields at local elementary and middle schools, and the baseball and soccer fields at Sunny Fields Park, among other accomplishments.

When Ballard School was remodeled, for example, the group put in the basketball courts, ball fields and playground equipment. Youth Rec also contributed to the construction of the new barn at the high school’s farm, and completed renovations of the baseball fields and softball fields.

Youth Rec continues to sponsor Youth Basketball and Summer Swim Programs, support Arts Outreach youth programs, and maintain the support of local youth teams and tournaments in the Santa Ynez Valley and Los Alamos.

Madi has been involved in Valley 4-H since she was 10 years old, and last year she won 4-H Grand Champion and Supreme Champion for her pigs at the Santa Barbara County Fair. She also shows her pigs year-round all over the state through the Junior Livestock Association.

“I wish more kids could grow up in the valley like we do and appreciate it, because I know when a lot of us get out into the real world it will be a big shock to not see as many friends and relatives. Going to the grocery store is an ordeal, and I learned from my great-grandmother to never leave the house without checking my make-up because you always run into someone you know,” Madi laughed.

The kick-off event for this year’s campaign will be Saturday, April 28, at the Santa Ynez Valley Equestrian Center.

For more information on SYV Youth Rec, log onto www.syvyr.com. The schedule of Madi’s fundraising is listed there, along with information about attending events or donating.

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Kurt Beehler, president of Lucky Clover 4-H, has a cousin attending Sonoma State University who began gathering donations of clothing after devastating wildfires in that area this fall.

When he asked her how he could help, she said the fire victims had a big need for toiletries and pet supplies. So he sent flyers to members of his club and other 4-H groups, pet stores, churches and local Boy Scout troops asking for donations.

The Santa Ynez Valley’s support was amazing, he said, and within two weeks he had a truck full of donations. The largest came from Monighetti’s feed store in Buellton, which donated an entire pallet of pet food.

Members of his Lucky Clover 4-H club also voted to donate their winnings from a local contest to purchase $350 worth of dog beds from Tractor Supply.

Kurt met with Petaluma Animal Services and the Sonoma Humane Society on Saturday, Nov.18, to deliver all of the donations. Because of strong support from people in the Sonoma area, the Red Cross was not accepting any more supplies, so he drove to a neighboring homeless shelter with the canned food and toiletries and to Goodwill with the clothing.

“The two pet shelters were so impressed that our 4-H members, who were six hours away, cared about them and their animals,” Kurt said. “Valerie Fausone, director of Petaluma Animal Services, mentioned that taking care and giving to the animals takes one less pressure off the owners. Also, they are housing more animals now because housing is in such demand and priority is given to families without animals.”

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By Raiza Giorgi

A huge crowd of enthusiastic spectators enjoyed Solvang’s Fourth of July parade, with several saying the spectacle left them exhilarated.

“It was a great parade and really showed off our small-town and American pride,” said Frank Kelsey, executive director of Santa Ynez Valley Youth Recreation.

Valley resident Melissa Friend said the weather was great, and her children really loved watching all the different entries.

The festivities started with a concert by the Santa Ynez Valley Wind Ensemble at Solvang Park.

Singing the National Anthem was Solvang Elementary School student Libby Padfield, who was a finalist for the Teen Star Santa Barbara competition last winter.

The annual parade included 77 entries, according to members of the Solvang Rotary Club, which sponsors the event each Independence Day.

Thousands of people wearing red, white and blue lined the streets of Solvang to watch the parade. Kids eagerly waited for people on floats to toss out candy and hand out flags. Several kids shared their treats with other kids who weren’t fast enough to get their own.

The crowd applauded and cheered as Grand Marshal Jim Kunkle Sr. and his wife Ruth were driven along the parade route.

A highly decorated fighter pilot in World War II, Kunkle broke formation while flying over enemy lines to save his fellow pilots from enemy fire. He took out two planes before being shot down, bailing out, and being rescued by Allied ground troops.

“The weather was near perfect,” said Rotary member Allan Jones, who was the parade announcer along with Jason Stiff of KCOY television.

The entry that took the Sweepstakes Award was the Santa Ynez Valley and Santa Maria Model A Clubs for their very patriotic decorations.

The prize for the most amusing entry went to the “Friars on Tires” by the San Lorenzo Seminary, as their friars rode in the parade on bicycles.

The Santa Ynez Elks took home the award for best tractor. The Charros of Santa Ynez were named the best riding group, among groups of cowboys and dancing Andalusian horses with their flowing manes and tails.

The festivities kept going into the afternoon with a barbecue by the Solvang Rotary and free concerts — by the T-Bone Ramblers in the park and by the Santa Ynez Valley Master Chorale, which presented a free concert of Americana, traditional and patriotic music in the sanctuary at Mission Santa Inés.

The Rotary Club of the Santa Ynez Valley sponsored the afternoon festival at Mission Santa Inés featuring food booths, s wine and beer garden, kids’ activities that included a bounce castle and face-painting, and time to kick back and socialize before their fireworks show at 9 p.m. All proceeds from the festival benefit local charities.

July 4 parade winners

Sweepstakes  –  Santa Ynez Valley & Santa Maria Model A Clubs

Best Use of Parade Theme  – Rotary Club of Solvang

Most Patriotic – Daughters of the American Revolution

Most Amusing – San Lorenzo Seminary “Friars on Tires”

Most Unique –  Capuchin Franciscans – Old Mission Santa Ines

Most Creative – Friends of the Library

Best Band –  Santa Ynez Valley Jazz Band

Best Singing Group – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co.

Best Singing, Single – Libby Padfield – National Anthem

Best Family Group – Sherieff Family – Herbie the Love Bug

Best Church Group – SYV Presbyterian Church

Best Senior Group – Atterdag Village

Best Animal Group – Willow Creek Ranch Family and Friends

Best Wagon, Single – Santa Maria Elks Lodge No. 1538

Best Automobile Group – Vapor Trail Vettes

Best Automobile, Single – Jim and Lynn Axtell’s ’56 T-Bird

Best Automobile, Restored – SB County Sheriff’s Paddy Wagon

Best Automobile, Antique  –  Vincent Vineyards and Winery, 1950 Packard Woody Station Wagon

Best Fire Engine –  Engine 30, Solvang Fire Department.

Best Tractor –  Santa Ynez Valley Elks

Best Equestrian Group – Eagle Flight Farms

Best Riding Group – Charros of Santa Ynez

Best Viking Ship – Vikings of Solvang

Best Color Guard – American Legion Post No. 160

Road Apple Crew – Lucky Clover 4-H

Best Clown – PCPA Theaterfest, Erik Stein

Best Sport Group –  SYVUHS Boys Water Polo Team

Best Military Group –  Flat Fender Friends

Best Walking Group –  SYV Community Action Alliance

Best Dancing Group –  Garcia Dance Studio

Most Energetic – Gymnastics North and Parks & Rec Department

Best Group for a Cause – Lompoc Shriners

Best School Group –  SYVUHS Robotics Club

Best Youth Group –  AYSO Soccer

Best Audience Participation – Veggie Rescue

Best Dog – “Sunny” Jim Summerlin

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Staff report

The 126^th annual Santa Barbara County Fair will be open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily from July 12-16 at the Santa Maria Fairpark at 937 South Thornburg St.

Admission each day is $10 for adults, $8 for children and seniors. Children 5 and younger are admitted free. Admission to the evening concerts, except for Sunday night, is free with paid admission to the fair.

Here is a schedule of the main events. For complete information, visit www.santamariafairpark.com.

Theme Days

Wednesday, July 12 – Carnival Dollar Day

Carnival ride tickets are $1 per ride. The night’s concert at 7:30 p.m. will feature .38 Special.

Thursday, July 13 – Senior Day 

Admission for those 62 and older is $1.

Friday, July 14 – Agriculture and Cattleman’s Day

Saturday, July 15 – Military and Law Enforcement Day 

Active-duty service members and their immediate family members are admitted free with identification. Destruction Derby starts at 6 p.m.

The Santa Barbara County Fair hosts five days of fun, including the popular Destruction Derby on Saturday, July 15.

Sunday, July 16 – Fiesta Day 

Fair-goers can enjoy the “Fiesta” themed entertainment, including a concert that features music by top Hispanic music “idols.” Tickets for the concert can be purchased from La Miramar in Santa Maria at 805-349-0186.

Livestock Show 

Saturday July 8

8:30 a.m. – Rabbit and Cavy Show, Rabbit Meat Pens Judged

9 a.m. – Showmanship

Monday, July 10 

8 – 11 a.m. – Market Steers at Beef Barn Scale

8 – 11 a.m. – Sheep and Goats at Frank Marciel Pavilion

Santa Ynez 4-H Club member Cole Correll and his pig Chop placed third in their market class at last year’s Santa Barbara County Fair.

8 a.m. – 3 p.m. – Market swine (south barn, north barn) at South Hog Barn Scale

9 a.m. – Turkey Meat Pen Judging

9 a.m. – Chicken Show

5 p.m. – Farm Supply Quiz Jam at Minetti Arena

Tuesday, July 11

8 a.m. – Breeding Boar and market goats (4-H/FFA) at Frank Marciel Pavilion

8 a.m. – Swine Showmanship at Auction Barn

9 a.m. – Turkey Showmanship

9 a.m. – Chicken Showmanship

11 a.m. – Breeding sheep (4-H/FFA) and market sheep (4-H/FFA) at Frank Marciel Pavilion

Charlie Hollister of Buellton and the Los Alamos Grange Beef Group showed his heifer at last year’s Santa Barbara County Fair.

Wednesday, July 12

8 a.m. – Goat Showmanship (4-H/FFA) at Fields Bradley Pavilion

8 a.m. – Breeding Swine, Market Swine at Auction Barn

9 a.m. – Breeding Beef at Fields Bradley Pavilion

10 a.m. – Market Beef at Fields Bradley Pavilion

10 a.m. – Rabbit, Poultry and Cavy Costume Contest Followed by Mini Member Costume Contest

5 p.m. – Pee Wee Showmanship followed by Ladies Lead and Sheep/Goat costume at Frank Marciel Pavilion

5:30 p.m. – Championship Drive at Auction Barn

Thursday, July 13

8 a.m. – Beef Showmanship at Fields Bradley Pavilion

9 a.m. – Dairy Goat Showmanship followed by show at Frank Marciel Pavilion

10 a.m. – noon – Mini Member Showmanship, (Rabbits and Cavy followed by poultry)

1 p.m. – Pygmy Goat Pee Wee Showmanship, 4H/FFA Showmanship, followed by show (4-H, FFA) at Frank Marciel Pavilion

5:30 p.m. – Championship Drive at Auction Barn

Friday, July 14

8 a.m. – Replacement Heifers at Fields Bradley Pavilion

Noon –  Small Stock Auction

2 p.m. – Dog Trials at Budweiser Minetti Arena

5 p.m. – Auction Replacement Heifers at Auction Barn

Saturday, July 15

8 a.m. – Junior Livestock Auction

Sunday, July 16

10 a.m. – Knowledge Bowl – Round Robin – Small Stock Show Ring

10 a.m. – Swine costume at Auction Barn

Noon – Adult showmanship of beef, swine and sheep at Auction Barn

3 p.m. – Large Stock Round Robin at Auction Barn

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Crowds were very animated cheering for all the parade floats and participants during the annual Fourth of July parade in Solvang, sponsored by the Solvang Rotary Club. A few thousand people from all around as far away as China came to watch the small town parade celebrating America’s Independence Day. There were 675 participants in 73 entries. The judges were Jason Stiff, Meteorologist, for KCOY TV 12; Ken Harwood, Chamber of Commerce Economist and retired college professor; Elizabeth Jensen, retired Solvang store owner and board member of the Elverhoj Museum; and Allan Jones,

Below the photo gallery is the list of winners from yesterday’s parade.

The festivities continued into the evening with the Santa Ynez Valley Rotary Club sponsoring the booths and concerts at Old Mission Santa Ines as well as the firework show! All the proceeds benefit local charities and organizations that help people in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Sweepstakes  –  Reel Cowboys

Best Use of Parade Theme – Flat Fender Friends

Most Patriotic – Daughters of the American Revolution Santa Ynez and Lompoc chapters

Most Original – Operation Christmas Child

Most Amusing – Lompoc Shrine Club

Most Unique –  Donut Time

Most Creative – All Sports Fitness

Best Band –  Charros de Santa Ynez

Best Singing Group – Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co with Davy Brown and the Pale Ales!

Best Singing – Single – Libby Padfield – National Anthem

Best Family Group – Rancho Ruvalcaba y Familia

Best Church Group – SYV Presbyterian Church

Best Senior Group – Solvang Senior Center

Best Animal Group – Old Yeller Ranch Rescue

Best Wagon Group – Willow Creek Ranch Friends & Family

Best Wagon – Single – Santa Maria Elks Lodge #1538

Best Automobile Group – Vaper Trail Vettes

Best Automobile – Single – Bobby Bruhn’s 1954 Corvette, Rick Torres State Farm Ins.

Best Automobile – Restored – Dan Hoagland’s 1958 Ford Skyliner Retractable Hardtop

Best Automobile – Antique  –  Floyd Keinath’s Model A Coupe

Best Automobile Antique Group – Model A Clubs of SYV & Santa Maria

Best Fire Engine –  Engine 30 Solvang Fire Dept.

Best Tractor –  Howard Marion’s 1950 John Deere

Best Equestrian Group – Hernandez Friesians

Best Equestrian – Single – Charros Los Caporales

Best Viking Ship – Vikings of Solvang

Best Cub Scout Troop Pack – Boy Scout Troop Pack 41

Best Color Guard – American Legion Post #160

Road Apple Crew – Lucky Clover 4-Hers Grace Morell, Tessa Haws, Valentina del Solar

Best Clown – Lompoc Shrine Club

Best Sport Group –  SYVUHS Boys Water Polo Team

Best Military Group –  American Legion Riders Dist 16

Best Walking Group –  Friends of the Library of the SYV

Best Dancing Group –  Garcia Dance Studio

Most Energetic – Figueroa Mtn Brewing Co.

Best Group for a Cause – Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church

Best School Group –  SYVUHS Robotics Club Mecha Pirates

Best Youth Group –  Lucky Clover 4-H

Best Audience Participation – Veggie Rescue

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