Barbara Boothe is an American horse breeder who founded Wild Turkey Farm in California in 1989. She was married to Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison from 1983 to 1986, and they have two children, David and Megan. In the horse world, she uses the name Barbara Ellison. Her work with sport horses has earned recognition from a national riding group.
Barbara Boothe’s former husband built a major software company. Their children entered the movie business. She chose a path that led to riding arenas, breeding barns, and years of work with horses. That path began with a love of riding long before her farm became well known.
In this article, we will look at her marriage, children, early riding years, and the growth of Wild Turkey Farm. We will also explore the horses and people who helped make that work possible. Let’s begin with the woman whose own career goes far beyond a famous last name.
Quick Facts
- Known as: Barbara Boothe and Barbara Ellison
- Former husband: Larry Ellison
- Marriage: 1983 to 1986
- Children: David Ellison and Megan Ellison
- Profession: Sport-horse breeder and farm owner
- Business: Wild Turkey Farm
- Farm founded: 1989 in Woodside, California
- Farm location: Wilsonville, Oregon
- Major honor: 2020 Mrs. A.C. Randolph Owner’s Legacy Award
Who Is Barbara Boothe?
Barbara Boothe is best known outside the horse world as Larry Ellison’s former wife and the mother of film producers David and Megan Ellison. But her long-running equestrian business gives her a career of her own. She founded a farm that breeds horses for jumping and other competitive riding events.
Barbara Boothe uses the name Barbara Ellison in her horse business. Wild Turkey Farm’s history places its start in the hills of Woodside, California, in 1989. The operation later moved to a larger property near Portland, Oregon.
The farm’s growth did not happen all at once. She spent years riding, buying horses, working with trainers, and planning a place where young animals could grow. Those choices make her story more than a short chapter in someone else’s life.
A Marriage During the Early Days of Oracle
Barbara Boothe married Larry Ellison in 1983. He had helped start the company that became Oracle in 1977. At the time of their wedding, the software business was still growing into the global name it would later become.
Barbara Boothe’s marriage ended in 1986. During those years, they welcomed two children. Their son David was born in 1983, and their daughter Megan arrived in 1986.
Those years connect her to a major period in the history of Silicon Valley. But they do not explain the work she built after the marriage. Her own public career took shape around horses rather than computer software.
Raising David and Megan Ellison
The couple’s children later entered the film industry. David built Skydance, a production company involved in major action movies. Megan founded Annapurna Pictures and backed films known for bold stories and creative risks.
A People profile of Larry Ellison’s children identifies Barbara as their mother and describes their childhood after their parents’ split. Their interest in movies later became the base for two different careers.
David’s work has included projects tied to the Mission: Impossible series and Top Gun: Maverick. Megan’s company has been involved with films such as Her and American Hustle. Both found their own place in Hollywood, though their tastes and business paths differ.
Barbara Boothe is part of that family history, but neither child’s success is a job credit for a parent. Their film companies, like her horse farm, have separate stories worth telling.
A Love of Horses That Began Early
Long before she owned a breeding farm, she liked being around horses. As a child, she saved money so she could ride during summer trips to Oregon. Those short chances to get in the saddle meant a lot to her.
Her family could not pay for endless riding lessons. She depended on local horse people who gave her chances to learn and spend time at barns. When she was old enough, she also helped with trail rides.
College brought a break from regular riding. She returned to the sport as an adult and began taking lessons again in the 1980s. A weekly activity slowly became a much larger part of her life.
That history helps explain the work that came later. Barbara Boothe did not begin with a large farm and a long list of horses. She first learned to ride, care for animals, and understand how much skill the sport demands.
How Wild Turkey Farm Started
Wild Turkey Farm began in Woodside in 1989. It grew from a riding interest into an operation focused on breeding and developing sport horses. The business started on a smaller scale than the Oregon property that now carries its name.
An early horse named Wizard helped move her interest toward breeding. She bought him for his jumping ability, not because she had already planned a large breeding program. Other horses followed.
As the number of animals increased, the work became more complex. Horses needed room, skilled handling, and the right care at each stage of life. A small property could support only so much growth.
Barbara Boothe kept building the program through new purchases, trainers, and years of hands-on decisions. The farm’s story is one of gradual change rather than sudden success.
Why Breeding Sport Horses Is a Long-Term Job
A sport horse needs more than a strong body. Breeders look at movement, health, behavior, and the skills a horse may need in competition. They also study family lines to understand traits that may appear in young animals.
Even careful planning cannot promise a champion. A foal must grow, learn to work with people, and develop at its own pace. Health and sound care matter at every step.
Some horses go on to compete at high levels. Others may be better suited to different jobs. Breeders must make those choices with the animal’s needs in mind, not just the hope of winning a prize.
That work helps explain why Barbara Boothe needed more space and a strong team. Running a breeding farm means caring for horses long before they are ready for the show ring.
The Move From California to Oregon
By the late 1990s, the Woodside property was no longer a good fit for the growing group of horses. The farm needed more land for breeding, training, and keeping animals safely apart when needed.
She found a large property in Oregon in 2001. The land had been used for hazelnut trees, and turning it into a horse farm called for major planning. Barns, pastures, fencing, and roads all had to be set up for daily use.
The move did not happen overnight. Work continued over several years before the new facilities were ready. The farm’s program moved north in 2011.
The Oregon site gave Barbara Boothe a place where the breeding and training work could come together. It also brought her back to the state where she had enjoyed riding as a child.
What Makes Wild Turkey Farm Distinct
Barbara Boothe’s farm has focused on Warmblood sport horses and on horses suited to jumping. Its work includes breeding, raising young horses, training, and support for animals that are past their main competition years.
Its official website names Barbara Ellison as the owner and describes the operation near Wilsonville. The farm’s public materials show that the business involves skilled staff, not one person working alone.
That division of work is important. Young horses need patient training. Mares and foals need careful daily care. Competition horses need riders who can help them develop without rushing the process.
Barbara Boothe built a place where those parts of the job could support each other. The aim was not simply to own more horses, but to create a full program for their growth.
The People Behind the Farm’s Success
A breeder may choose a horse, but its future also depends on many other people. Trainers teach new skills. Barn staff notice changes in health or behavior. Riders help a horse gain the experience needed for competition.
One important figure in the farm’s history is rider Mandy Porter. She worked with several horses connected to the program, helping them compete at major events. Kelli Johnston also played a long role in the operation’s training and care work.
These relationships gave the farm a way to connect breeding with competition. A horse’s results can help a breeder learn whether earlier choices worked as hoped.
That teamwork became part of the farm’s public story. It also shows why the owner’s achievements are tied to the skill and daily effort of the people around her.
An Award for Her Work in the Horse World
In 2020, Barbara Boothe received an honor that had nothing to do with Oracle or Hollywood. The United States Hunter Jumper Association named her the recipient of its Mrs. A.C. Randolph Owner’s Legacy Award.
The award recognizes owners who have given lasting support to the sport. In its announcement, the group noted her breeding program, support for riders, and efforts to develop horses for top-level events.
The United States Hunter Jumper Association recognized her contribution to American sport-horse breeding. It was a clear sign that her work had earned respect within the industry.
For Barbara Boothe, the award put a national name to years of building a farm, working with horses, and helping riders. It remains one of the strongest public measures of her own professional legacy.
How Her Horses Reached Larger Events
Wild Turkey Farm’s horses did not remain only on its own grounds. Some went on to compete in show jumping, where speed, skill, and clear rounds all matter.
Breeding and competition are connected, but they are not the same job. A farm raises and prepares animals, while a rider and coach bring the horse through the next stages of training and sport.
The program’s history includes horses such as Liocalyon, a Holsteiner stallion linked to its growth, and other horses campaigned by experienced riders. The farm’s results gave it a place in the wider jumping community.
Barbara Boothe helped create the program that supported those opportunities. The work depended on years of choices rather than one race, one rider, or one winning day.
A Family With Three Very Different Careers
The family is now tied to technology, movies, and equestrian sport. Larry Ellison became one of the best-known figures in software. David built a film company with a large role in commercial entertainment.
Megan’s production work has often focused on films with strong creative voices. Their mother, meanwhile, developed a business that depends on live animals, land, and daily care.
Those are not small differences. Making a movie, running a software company, and breeding a horse each require their own kinds of skill. One cannot be used as proof of expertise in another.
Barbara Boothe stands out because her career has its own record. The farm and its industry award give readers a clear reason to know her name apart from her family connections.
Final Thoughts
Barbara Boothe is part of a famous American family, but the story of her own work belongs in the horse world. She turned early riding lessons into a business, built a farm in California, and later developed a larger home for the program in Oregon.
Her children went into film, and her former husband became a major figure in technology. Her path called for patience with animals, trust in trainers, and years of planning.
The national honor she received in 2020 says something lasting about that work. A well-known surname may make people curious, but the farm she created is what gives her story its own shape.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Barbara Boothe establish Wild Turkey Farm herself?
Yes. The farm’s official history identifies her as its founder in Woodside, California, in 1989.
What kind of horses does her farm raise?
It focuses on sport horses, including Warmblood horses developed for jumping and related competition.
Did the farm begin in Oregon?
No. The program began in California and later moved to a larger site in Oregon.
Has she won a national equestrian award?
Yes. She received the 2020 Mrs. A.C. Randolph Owner’s Legacy Award from the United States Hunter Jumper Association.
Do David and Megan Ellison run the horse farm?
Their known professional work is in film and media. The farm’s official materials identify Barbara Ellison as its owner.
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