The Regina Winery was a company that had a big impact on the American
Falabella of today. The Regina Winery (or Regina Grape Products Co) was owned by the
Ellena brothers, John B and Frank. The Regina Winery was one of the first to import
Falabellas to the United States from the Falabella Ranch in Argentina.It is documented
that John Ellena had 12 Falabellas imported in the 1962 to his farm in California.Mr.
Ellena decided that these tiny horses would be a great attraction for his Winery.He had
six brought to the Regina Winery grounds in 1965 to pull the famous scaled down stagecoach
which displayed the words " Regina Winery Stage Line, Buenos-Aires
Argentina".They also occasionally used a buckboard type wagon with a four or six
horse hitch. In keeping with the Winery atmosphere, Mr. Ellena had the six stalls made out
of huge wine barrels with each horse's name above the door.The Falabellas were known as
"Miniature Lilliputian Horses" and also "Falabella Lilliputian
Miniature Horses".They became a big attraction and continued to delight visitors
until early in 1970. In 1970 the Regina Winery was merged with Heublein Inc, of
Hartford,CT. The Theme Park atmosphere was not adopted by Heublein and
horses and all other attractions were discontinued that year. Heublein remained on
the site until the mid 80's and another wine company used it until 1992. It's now
unused and in disrepair.Sadly, Mr. Ellena, the sole owner at the sale of the Winery,
passed away the next year in 1971. In late 1971 Mr. Norman Fuller purchased the herd of 22
miniatures.
They were sent to Mr.Fuller's farm in Mira Loma, Ca to be an attraction
for his up-and-coming family recreational park to be known as "Running Springs
Recreational Park".Unfortunately, Mr.Fuller's park never materialized. Mr.Fuller
continued to breed his small herd and registered the majority of the herd in 1974 with
AMHR and then a few years later with AMHA. (Although not confirmed, it's believed they may
have been registered with the IMHR). Many of those horses can be found in today's American
bred Falabellas.
When the twelve were origonally imported the Argentina pedigrees were not
recorded and have not been found as of yet. Research has found the following horses, most
probably, to be the original imports: (10 horses are listed, two could not be
identified-presumed died before registering or were geldings and never registered)
1014P Senor brown/white pinto 30" 1015P Chianti appy 32"
IMHR 10014B 1019P Barberra Black
34" 1020P Angelico white 33" 1021P
Pearlette white 34" 1023P Sherry Chestnut Flaxen mane and
tail 34" 1024P Champagne dk chestnut 34"
1025P Senorita dk chest 33" 1026P Regina black
33" 1027P Morsola black 33"
The original six horse hitch consisted of Senor, Chianti, Regina, Sherry,
Champagne and Seniorita.Other horses used in later years were Grenache, Burgundy and
Barberra.
The horses of the Regina Winery had a large impact on the Falabella lines of today. Many
pedigrees trace to these old lines. They played an important part in miniature horse
history and there are still many pieces to the puzzle yet to find. Please feel free to
contact me with any information you would like to add to our slowly expanding file about
the Regina Winery Falabella horses.
Thanks to Shannon Graeber and Cheryl Wesher for their enormous help in
locating old photographs, articles and documentation.
