We are Saskia and Les Walker, founders of Happy Highlands Farm, here in beautiful Vian, Oklahoma. We have four wonderful adult children who we love to pieces, one set of boy and girl twins, and two more boys. Les, our kids, and I grew up around animals. Les used to help out his Grandma at her Oklahoma ranch with her cattle; she would drive her old Chevy pickup, and he would often ride his horse. I grew up with horses in, of all places, the Netherlands (an hour from  Scotland by air), in Europe. As a kid, I first learned how to ride horses bareback because I didn’t own a saddle. Soon, I started riding and exercising horses from the tamest to the wildest, for a professional horse trainer who used to buy and sell horses. Fast forward, Les had his professional career, with a PhD in biochemistry, as a scientist in predominantly the biotech industry. He did extensive research into cancer, HIV, and many infectious diseases. My professional career was in product development in the medical device industry, later as an educator for children with special needs.

Once married with four children, near San Diego, California, I started giving horseback riding lessons at our place to children, including disabled children, and adults. I also trained horses and broke out green horses for clients. All our kids were fortunate to grow up around horses, and who, in their younger years, all participated in Gymkhanas and a few rodeos. My daughter and I both used to, and loved to, barrel race. During our lives in California, my husband and I were no strangers to helping out neighboring ranches with their cattle; gathering, branding, vaccinating, etc. My current hobby is still sorting cattle on horseback or going on a trail ride with Les. 

Yes, I was, and am that girl/woman who will point out every cow and calf I see in the pasture, driving by on whatever road we're on. When we moved in March 2024 to Oklahoma to be closer to family and obtain more land for our horses, minipigs, a 100-lb Sulcata tortoise, a little Greek turtle, and four dogs, we developed a new goal and plan for our farm. Having been in love with Scottish Highland cows my whole life, we decided to make my dream a reality and purchase a small young fold/herd of Highlands. We started with two steers, who became lovable, funny, curious pets, and "fold managers" guiding and leading the way for our three young heifers, which we purchased shortly after. We bought all three soon after they were weaned with the purpose of raising them ourselves, halter training them, getting them used to brushing and going easily through the cattle chutes, basically, raising the heifers to be easy to work with when they will be mommas themselves in the future. It's a longer-term approach, but we feel that this way, we can really offer our clients a reliable Highland calf with a solid background and one that has been raised more like a pet than just livestock. All three heifers have the most mellow, sweet personalities; they’re curious and love being around people. Once they're at breeding age, our goal is to breed for small, fluffy, hairy Highlands with sweet, great personalities and good confirmations with balanced proportions. These calves will be born out of dams we raised and know thoroughly. After the little ones are weaned, we're convinced that a calf coming from Happy Highlands Farm will be a tremendous addition to existing or starting fold, and Highland cattle lovers all over. So, stay tuned on our website for future Happy Highlands calves!