Born in 1784 in Vermont USA, one astoundingly pre-potent horse of uncertain parentage founded a breed.
Originally named Figure, he was owned by a poor singing teacher , Justin Morgan. It is now mostly accepted that Figure's sire was a Friesan Stallion, known to be in the area at the time, and his dam, a fine Barb mare. This little bay stallion became part of Colonial America folklore with his feats of speed ,strength and endurance, either hitched to a buggy, under saddle, or in the collar of the heavy chains, clearing rugged land for farming. Add to this his stylish statuesque looks, honest gentle nature, and pre-potency as a sire, Figure became the living legend known as "The Morgan Horse". Some selection over the centuries has been made toward their status as more of a saddle horse rather than a harness horse. But temperament, intelligence, and soundnes have not been sacrificed. The Morgan Horse is considered a truly versatile light Sport Horse. The first Morgan Horses arrived in Australia and New Zealand in around 1890. In total twelve Stallions over the ensuing decades were imported to expand the gene pool for the fledgling Trotting Industry, in both countries. The official get of these sires has been absorbed into the Standardbred Stud Book. Any other progeny sired outside the trotting industry was never recorded, so therefore lost. George Reed, an American living in NSW, imported the stallion Saddleback Sultan, and two mares, Saddleback Sundance and Green Meads Fashion in 1974. In 1981 Mr Reed again imported Morgan Horses. Stallion Wawayanda Watch Out and his yearling daughter Lizotte Lil' Bridget. These five horses have supplied the frame for the Morgan breed in Australia. |
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In 1994 Lippitt Morgan Stallion Marvelous Encore arrived in Australia, just prior to my initial enquiry into the breed.
I loved him on sight, but it was a further four years before my long standing order for an Encore daughter out my chosen mare, Mt Tawonga Miss Mary, was fulfilled. During these years I founded Boomtown Performance Horses and bred Part Morgans, using Kings older half brother Mt Tawonga Moroka,( living in SA at the time). I cherished my Morgan mare Mt Tawonga Genevieve but I wanted a bigger horse for riding, and it HAD to be purebred !! I went searching and stumbled apon King in June 1999, hidden away in the Victorian Mountains of Tawonga,. I had first seen him at the 1997 National Show, where, under an American Judge, he took his first Supreme title at two months old. All grown up, he stood 15.1.1/2 at three years old. Not only was he bigger than most, but also black, beautiful and simply oozing Morgan Type. Two weeks later this awesome young stallion was mine and starting his new life in South Australia. The Morgan Horse Assn of Australia was formed in 1990. Continuing to thrive, it now holds a well attended National Show every March (ANMS).There are now Morgan Studs in five States and Morgan Horses all over Australia. HEADER PHOTO of Marvelous Encore and Jennifer Bird in 1994 NB :A Lippitt Morgan is a little heavier and more baroque in looks, than the more conservative, streamlined look of the modern Sport Morgan. Specifically line bred, the Lippitt Morgan is considered a "purist" family within the Morgan breed, having more crosses in their pedigree back to the original "Morgan Horse" (Justin Morgan ,also known as Figure). Pure Morgans have five or six different "family lines" within the registry. They are readily and successfully either interbred or.... kept undiluted. |
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