Ellie’s family name, Phipps, is derived from the Greek Philippos, meaning “lover of horses,” and she has lived up to it by rescuing countless wild mustangs over the years.
An advocate for open spaces and their inhabitants, Ellie founded the Montgomery Creek Ranch and Preserve, a 2,000-acre ranch near Stonyford, California where more than 200 wild horses roam free. She is also the board president of the American Wild Horse Campaign. Her first mustang is named “Dunstan.”
Ellie purchased the Durell Vineyard in 1998 and has worked to make Durell’s farming practices sustainable with the land, water, and wildlife around the vineyard. She has made it her mission to preserve the flourishing quality of life nurtured by natural landscapes, whether for a galloping herd or a deeply rooted vineyard.