Ernie Naquin, Don Zimmerman, and Doug Rau were young wranglers buying, breaking, and selling horses.  They had rented five acres in Chatsworth, that Ernie called the “Shade Tree Ranch”, because of all the trees.  When the three men decided to officially name the ranch, one of them threw out “Sunny Brook Farm”.  Another said, Nah that’s too much like the book, so Ernie said how about “Don-e-brook”?  Everyone agreed, so it was that quick the name was created.

     Don and Doug quit the business with the first year.

     In October, 1960, the ranch was moved to an area between Hidden Hills and Woodland Hills, known as the “Baby J Ranch”, when it was previously owned by Betty Grable and Harry James.  Ernie rented this property fourteen years for Don-e-brook.  He had three hundred head of horses by now, working for the ranch programs.

     In 1967 “California Rangers” youth equestrian drill team joined Don-e-brook.

     Ernie made it a policy not to get involved with the customers on a social level, but when Mary Ann Messina came along, it was a different program.  On April 5, 1971 they were married.

     1974 was the year Don-e-brook moved to Granada Hills, by Zelza, north of Rinaldi, for a one year stay.

     In 1974 the Naquins purchased 12 acres at 28638 San Francisquito Canyon., in Saugus, California.  At the same time, Ernie moved the California Rangers’ program horses up to “Shawnee Branch”, in Newhall, California, for a one year stay.  He designed the entire ranch for the owners while he was there.  It was later renamed “Rivendale”.

     1975 was a mighty hectic year with Don-e-brook operating out of three locations!  This is how the plural on “Farms” originated.

     In 1976, all of the horses and programs were moved to 28638 San Francisquito Canyon Road.

     The ranch prospered for many years with Ernie’s jumping team, many boarders, and lessons.

     Mary Ann decided she wanted a new house, so Ernie had the ranch sub-divided into two equal parcels (creating two new addresses:  28680 and 28710 San Francisquito Canyon Road).    The upper half with the old ranch house was sold to Liz Farinella, who was boarding 9 horses at Don-e-brook.  Having been in horses all her life, Liz started teaching riding, naming the upper parcel “The Home Stretch”.

     Mary Ann and Ernie completed their big two story home on the bottom parcel in 1986, continuing to live and run Don-e-brook until fall of 1989.  Oregon sounded like a new adventure to them, so they sold the bottom parcel to Liz and moved to Oregon to develop a ranch in Bend.  Don-e-brook was once again a 12 acre ranch, and Liz decided to drop the “Home Stretch” name.

     Don-e-brook contracted with the City of Santa Clarita to teach riding in fall of 1990 through 2004.  The ranch has continued to do boarding; training English, western, gaited, gymkhana, and jumping; trail rides; dinner rides; pony parties; and summer camp.

     In 2001, Liz married Eric Ekeberg.  Eric was the Los Angeles County Assistant Fire Chief, in charge of Command and Control Division.  After retiring in December of 2004, he fixes everything the horses manage to tear up around the ranch and calls himself the “Chief Ranch Flunky” .

     Development is threatening the existing location of Don-e-brook, as we are suddenly surrounded by housing tracts.  Eric and Liz purchased the historic 15 acre “Rancho San Francisquito” at 30230 San Francisquito Canyon Road, two miles North, to ensure a future home for  Don-e-brook.

     Don-e-brook Farms is celebrating it’s 47^th anniversary this year.  I’m sure Ernie and Mary Ann Naquin will be on hand for the event.