HISTORY

Barn
Westwind
The colorful history of Westwind Barn dates
back to the mid-1940s when, after purchasing
some 30 acres between Altamont Road and
Central Drive, Frank Ellithorpe built a six-stall
barn for Morgan and Arabian horses. The original
six-stall barn resembled the gambrel-roofed barns found
in New England. Gambrel-roofed barns, with two
slopes on each side, allow more hay storage area under
the roof than a gabled-roof design. Ellithorpe sold the
land in 1965 to Robert D. Clement, who added 17 stalls,
a tack room and a riding arena.
The property was sold in 1971
to the Countess Margit Bessenyey
as a California extension of her
Montana stud farm, where she
raised Hungarian thoroughbred
horses. The Countess, whose late
husband was Hungarian ambassador
to the United States,
met the well-known
horsewoman Linda
Tellington-Jones in
Badger, Cal. Bessenyey
and Tellington-Jones
moved the renowned
Pacific Coast School of Horsemanship
from Badger to Los Altos
Hills, combining the training of
Hungarian horses with a general
equine education. Under Tellington-Jones’
management and Jim
Forderer’s instruction, the Pacific
Coast School grew, drawing
students from all over the
country and Europe.
The Countess added
a third wing and other
elegant touches to
the barn, including