Meet the Boss Lady
The Boss Lady, Marilyn Kelch Gubler, and her family are bonafide Westerners.
Her parents settled in Las Vegas in 1939 to realize their dream of
putting down roots in the mysterious Mojave. Real Vegas pioneers who
started the first radio station in the Las Vegas Valley, Maxwell and
Laura Bell Kelch are listed in Las Vegas history books among the most
important early citizens. http://www.1st100.com/part2/kelch.html
When she was growing up, the Boss Lady's parents
owned a home with rolling lawns, a pasture, and a barn. Marilyn
started keeping her own horse when she was in 7th grade, often riding
it to school. Now, she has a remuda of 30 horses, four colts, 36
long-horned cattle at last count (the darn things just keep multiplying),
numerous pigs, goats, and chickens plus the able staff to support
them - all at Sandy Valley Ranch.
In 1997 Marilyn bought 110 acres of mesquite and joshua tree-covered
range and began to carve SVR out of the hidden valley formed by
the graceful mountain ranges that guard the entrance to the Las
Vegas Valley. At the time, her attorney and fellow horse fancier,
Al Marquis had invested in Sandy Valley and offered her a chance
to buy in. "When, I drove over the Columbia Pass into Sandy Valley
to look at Al's property I knew: This was it. The whole place reminded
me of the western spirit of my childhood," she concludes.
Once SVR was christened and mapped, The Boss Lady and her team started
construction, leveling the desert, hauling in gravel, installing
power, water and telephone lines. Construction began on April Fool's
Day, 1999 - a date whose irony is not lost on any of The Boss Lady's
quirkier friends. SVR opened for business officially in February,
2000. Although Sandy Valley Ranch started out as a commercial venture,
Marilyn has now converted it to her personal Ranch for the enjoyment
of friends and family.
SVR is a family affair. Her daughter, Laura Dahl, is a women's clothing designer in New York City and sells her couture collections under the name Wifebeader
and Laura Dahl to stores such as Bloomingdales, Anthropologie, and Nordstrom.
She flies back to Nevada often, and trades her Prada and Manolos
for Levis, spurs and the official blue denim of SVR.
And Matthew, the Boss Lady's 26-year-old son,
enjoys a career as a filmmaker/photographer and actor. He recently
played the character Nico in Wes Anderson's "The Life Aquatic with
Steve Zissou, and appeared in "RV" with Robin Williams. He can be
seen every week at 9 p.m. Pacific Time on CBS' award winning show
"Criminal Minds." playing the character of Dr. Spencer Reid.
Matthew has also written, directed, and produced a *music video for the song Reagan by the group
Whirlwind Heat, which was filmed at the Ranch. His artistic
touch is also seen in the "Horse Sense" safety videos shown to all who
ride at the Ranch. For more on Matthew, check out his website at
www.matthewgraygubler.com.
*This site had erroneously stated that Matthew directed TWO music videos for
whirlwind heat. This information was INCORRECT Matthew has only directed ONE music video for
whirlwind heat.
"That's Matt
just to the right of Bill Murray's head."
