Focus is Choctaw, Cherokee and other Tribal lines selectively developed by Native Americans from Iberian horses brought by Spanish settlers in 1500’s. The story of why I would invest so much to bring the Spanish Mustangs to Hawaii goes back hundreds of years! The king of this tiny Hawaiian kingdom was very powerful and a key port for trade ships on the Pacific Ocean. Merchants from many countries
sought to bring the most treasured of gifts to win the king's favor. Cleveland and Captain William Shaler searched the coastline of California, taking heavy fire from the Spanish in San Diego, and continuing on to a small mission in Baja Mexico. Despairing that someone else might beat them to the finest treasure they could give the king, they were finally overjoyed to locate a stallion and "a pretty little mare with foal" that had been bred in the missions of Mexico from the horses the Conquistadors has brought to the new land. This royal gift was the very first horses brought to Hawaii in 1803 aboard the ship the Lelia Byrd. The Hawaiians began a love affair with their horses that has lasted through many generations. These brave little ponies actually herded cattle out through waves into the ocean to load on barges to ship around the world. The ponies then swam back to shore and traveled the 50 miles or more back to the ranches. As more and more merchants brought horses from other countries, the small ones were bred to larger stock "to improve them" and kept on ranches. Previously all the horses had roamed freely in the mountains where the "paniolos" the Hawaiian cowboys would catch and tame their own horse. Sadly, in this century all of the wild herds were shot so that they would not "trespass" onto ranch land. No breeding records were kept on the original ones. I'm not Hawaiian, I'm from Alaska! Well, like all young girls that love horses, I eventually grew up and had a daughter that loves horses too! When she was ~ 12 years old I finally "caved in" and enrolled her in private riding lessons (her goal was dressage) -- unfortunately it was 100 miles driving every week! Graciously, the instructor allowed me to ride with them. One of the horses was different -- smaller than the others, and seemed to think more like a human. Physically he was different, his back was compact and his eyes golden, but it was his temperament / personality that intrigued me. The owner told me he was "Spanish Barb" from the Southwestern US. Curious, I began researching the breed and learned this was not only my family's heritage (on the Native American side) but the Hawaiian's heritage as well! From there I searched for the most pure-blooded "Spanish Mustangs" that I could find, hoping to find ones whose ancestors were bred in the missions of Mexico -- the most likely source of Kiowa horses and the known source of the king's horses -- this led me to Wild Horse Mountain in SE Oklahoma, known locally as “Blackjack Mountain”. I am so deeply grateful to the many people who have preserved this treasure before me -- the greatest gift for a king. Land is very expensive in Hawaii, and that is by far my biggest struggle, but from my original two mares in 2008 we have increased, via additional imports as well as babies born here, to a total of 10 purebred stock in 2011. My goal is to develop a herd, and if the Lord is willing to help, have them run free in the mountains here! Anything is possible if we believe strong enough and work hard enough! Well, life changes! The following year, due to family circumstances, I relocated to SE Oklahoma near where my mom is from. I split the herd, leaving my beloved stallion, Mana Koa, and two of my original mares with their foals, with my dear friends Bruce and Leiana Robinson who ranch on Kauai and Ni’ihau. My growing herd now focuses on the Choctaw strain, as well as a selection of individuals representing other tribal and rancher strains. My new herd stallion, Champagne Reigns Ua, Koa’s first offspring, goes back to every Native American Tribe in the SSMA and SMR registry!
