09/15/2026
Celebrating our favorite cowgirl today on National Day of the Cowgirl.
Zee Varian started raising horses at 13 and started showing when she was part of the first women’s class at Cal Poly. She went on to become a top competitor in the reined cow horse world, beating the boys and winning 13 saddles, three horse trailers, and 60+ buckles. Every horse she showed was one she bred, raised, trained, and showed herself.
Her most notable wins:
🏆 1969 - First woman ever to win the Reined Cow Horse Open Bridle Championship
🏆 1979 - Snaffle Bit Futurity Non-Pro & Ladies Champion
🏆 1987 - NRCHA Year-End Non-Pro Hackamore & Bridle Champion
🏆 1990 - NRCHA Non-Pro Stock Horse Year-End Champion
🏆 Five-time Salinas Rodeo Champion
Raising four kids didn’t slow her down, Zee was on horseback shipping cattle the day she gave birth to John. What’s more cowgirl than that?
After a nearly 40-year career, Zee retired and put her grandkids on her old show horses and their descendants, and they won too. Well into her 70s she rode every day, riding one at a time, with six or more in tow. She’s 88 now, and she and Jack still get out on the ranch every single day, just on four wheels instead of four feet. We have Zee to thank for everything we know and love about horses 🐴❤️
