Akira Morgans began with the planning of our first foal, Akira Anticipation. Dustin and I met when I worked for Rollie and Joan Bowers at Morgan Manor in Philomath, Oregon. I had intended on breeding the mare ATMF Pandora, but she died tragically before the breeding could take place. Together, Dustin and I went on a great search of the Northwest to find a broodmare to replace Pandora. We purchased the wonderful mare, ER Quintessence (Bellcroft Benn x Elizabeth R) from Timber Creek Stables. Quincy was Dustin’s first show horse and we treasure the friendships we made through her purchase. She was a grand old mare that had the greatest personality and sense of humor.
We bred two fillies out of Quincy, Akira Anticipation (by Mantic Emperor) and Akira Beijing (by PWF Good Will Hunting). Anticipation is the first Morgan to carry my prefix and also the first Akira Morgan to win a World Championship. We enjoyed showing our “first born” filly
Annie in hand, in harness and western pleasure. She was a wonderful lesson horse and fun on the trails or at the beach. She is currently successfully competing in the open hunter circuit. Beijing has been recognized with her Champion status from AMHA. When Dustin & I were married, we had to have a Morgan involved, so Akira Beijing was recruited to be the wedding carriage horse. After only about a month of harness work, Jing carried us to and from the aisle and the wedding was perfect.
Our next broodmare purchase was the royally bred Code Red (Issues ‘N Answers x Kilkenney Tansy). I showed Red a little bit in English Pleasure & Pleasure Driving and enjoyed her sweet but fiery nature. I bred her to Arboria Top Gun and she produced Akira Conspiracy Theory. When the economy went low I paused a long time in my breeding plans. I wanted to be sure that I was breeding the “right” horses and not just creating extra horses on an already burdened market.
During this time, I bought a few different prospect horses to get trained and shown and enjoyed them immensely. Then in June 2011 we welcomed our first human “foal”. Madelyn Rae Arnould, our daughter, is the best thing that has ever happened to us. She is a happy, sweet, funny little girl! She loves the horses and enjoys coming to horse shows. Akira Conspiracy Theory has been her leadline and walk-trot parter and soon they will be showing in the 13 & under division.
Through some sad circumstances I ended up owning a mare I’d known back in my days at Morgan Manor, Mantic Bella Rena (HVK Bell Flaire x Westenfeld Cormandy). Although I wasn’t able to get a foal out of Bella Rena I was able to lease a mare that year and the next Akira foal was born. Akira Derringer (SpiceOLife Present Tense x Fire Run Natalia) is a colt who went on to win world and national titles in hand and under saddle, including World Champion Stallion win in 2018 and Reserve World Champion English Pleasure in 2020.
We purchased the fabulous SSLLC In Vogue (HVK Man About Town x Arboria Victor’s Pride) with high hopes for Vogue to be a show mare and broodmare. Unfortunately she suffered a catastrophic tendon injury and so we shifted our focus with her to the breeding shed. Vogue has produced Akira Embellished by HVK Bell Flaire, Akira Fantasize by Bazinga, Akira Giselle by Cedar Creek Harlequin and Akira Hamilton by Ledgefield’s Jagged Edge. In 2019 Vogue’s two oldest fillies, Embellished and Fantasize, swept the futurity sweepstakes championships at the Oregon Morgan Classic. Vogue is now producing foals for Lehman Morgan Stables and we have retained two of her daughters to breed on.
Akira Embellished has been carrying on in her dam’s footsteps. In 2021 she produced Akira Isadora by Cherrydale Cassanova. In 2022 she gave us Akira Katniss by Bazinga. We loved Isadora so much we repeated the cross and a full sibling by Cherrydale Cassanova is due this May.
We have a small farm in Lebanon, Oregon. We are working on updating and renovating the house and doing some landscape work. We have built a 72’x120’ outdoor arena and a 60’x60′ covered arena with plans for a new stall barn coming soon. You can find us at most of the PNW circuit Morgan shows and we try to make it to Nationals most years. Please stop by, we would love to meet you!