By Jim Robbins
As featured in the Summer 2025 issue of Arabian Horse World
Dreams really do come true in life if you are focused and work hard enough to make them happen. Leslie Ann Colpean is the woman who did her homework and is dedicated to her horses and our breed, so there’s no doubt in my mind that her Sugar Magnolia Arabians are here for the journey. From the time she was a little girl in Northville, Michigan, she loved and absorbed everything she could about the history of the Arabian horse. Her heroes were Bazy Tankersley, Judi Forbis, Lenita Perroy, and Sheila Varian. She grew up watching videos of the Varian Summer Spectaculars, Ansata’s stallion and sales tapes, any Arabian horse magazine she could get a hold of, and looked forward to Arabian Horse Camp every summer at Hidden Springs Arabian Camp, run by Michigan State Senator Robert Geake and his daughter, Tammie, who had the noted stallions Granted+// (*Aladdinn x Garnet by *Bask++) and Mi Fire Love+// (Canadian Love+ x Mi Fire Dream by *Bask++). One of Leslie’s most prized possessions to this day is a Breyer horse model of Huckleberry Bey++ that her mom had Sheila Varian sign for her as a surprise gift. Now, that’s someone who loves our breed.
Her first Arabian came to Leslie in 1996, when she was young and in high school, and was the locally bred mare WD Crown Jewel, a granddaughter of *Padron and Percussion, whom she rode for two years. The only problem was that the mare wasn’t personable and didn’t like to be ridden, so she was traded for the mare Mosha Dian (*Shatir AHS x La Monique by Gazza++), a Crabbet-bred mare who loved both Leslie and being ridden. They showed locally for several years, and in her last year of high school, Leslie saved up and bred her the Spanish/Egyptian cross stallion FB Figileo for the gelding CLM Emoshann, better known as Shann, who was her best buddy for the next 20 years until he passed in 2021. A couple of months after Shann’s passing, Leslie adopted a rescue gelding to fill the void. After DNA testing, it turned out to be an Afire Bey V son, but she has been unable to obtain his papers. As a young woman, Leslie began climbing the corporate ladder in the world of commercial and residential flooring, with an area that covered the upper Midwest, and everything was falling into place to begin raising horses seriously.
By 2016, Leslie was the proud owner of 11 acres, featuring a home and outbuildings that could be converted into barns and loafing sheds, located about an hour south of her hometown. She promptly christened the farm Sugar Magnolia after her beloved Border Collie of the same name, who is still with her at the age of 15. Over the next few years, stalls were built, fencing was added, and husband, Craig, who would prove to be the best handyman and fixer one could ask for, arrived, and Leslie’s dream of a horse farm began to take shape. By Scottsdale time in 2022, she was ready to go “horse shopping,” and Sugar Magnolia Arabians had finally come into its own.
Leslie with her first horse, WD Crown Jewel.
Leslie with her first broodmare, Mosha Dian.
Leslie with her first foal, CLM Emoshann.
Sugar Magnolia the Border Collie.
Sugar Magnolia’s “barn mascot”, Abbey.
After years of studying pedigrees, videos, books, and articles, Leslie was a woman on a mission, and she found the perfect three mares to start her program with. Veronica BFA (Vitorio TO x Violet BFA by Magnum Psyche) came from Midwest Training Centre and began Leslie’s friendship with David Boggs. She was joined by two mares from Orrion Farms, OFW Sweet Marguerite (QR Marc x Covergirl PA by Cavalli) and OFW Starling (Puccini J x OFW Swan by OFW Magic Wan), both mares with outstanding halter records. In 2022, Leslie showed OFW Starling to US Top Ten Mare AOTH and Reserve Champion Region 7 Mare AOTH. The following spring, she was in the Top Three at Scottsdale with Leslie and in the Top Five in the International Classes with Andy Sellman.
Additional mares were acquired over the next couple of years, Arabians, Saddlebreds, and Friesians. Lillianna SRA (Vitorio TO x Bonnabella SRA by DA Valentino), bred by long-time breeders Dan and Maureen Grossman, was purchased through David Boggs at Midwest and H Aspire H (*Gazal Al Shaqab x *Amba by *Eukaliptus) from Salem Alanazi to flesh out one of the nicest mare bands in Michigan. The beautiful Palomino Half-Arabian mare Hi Noon Serenade (by PA Hi-Noon) was added, and she has now produced three promising foals by the late Larry Jerome’s Khaja J (*Khadraj NA+++/ x Promise V by Huckleberry Bey++). H Aspire H had a stunning bay Dominic M (Da Vinci FM x Rosa La Valentina by DA Valentino) filly named SM Dessiree in 2024, while her stablemate OFW Starling had an equally lovely chestnut Dominic M filly named SM Sandpiper the same year. Both of these fillies are with Preston Keeter at Midcrest Farms to be shown, and both are slated to become the next generation of great breeding mares at Sugar Magnolia.
Vironica BFA (Vitorio TO x Violet BFA).
OFW Starling (Puccini J x OFW Swan).
One of the things that fascinates me about Leslie is that she genuinely has worked at becoming a horsewoman and a horse breeder. Every time a foal is born, she objectively evaluates it and looks at making adjustments when necessary. Leslie looks at the phenotype and genotype, both before the mating is done and after the foal is born, always striving to breed a better horse. She’s diversified into some of the most amazing Half-Arabian crosses, using quality Friesians and Saddlebreds to broaden her market. This brings us to Leslie’s “birthday horse” from last year, the acquisition of the incredibly well-bred and very talented KM Luminous, and the story of how he came to be at Sugar Magnolia Arabians.
Leslie’s journey with KM Luminous (KM Bugatti+++/ x TA Jihana Bey by Genesis C) began in August 2024. She had been looking at stallions to purchase, with a particular criterion in mind. They had to be beautiful, well-bred, athletic, and able (though not necessarily have been) to be shown in both halter and performance with a breeding career on the horizon. Add to this a budget, as all of us with horses, regardless of size, know that finding the perfect stallion is a process. She had a couple of prospects in mind and was scrolling through Facebook when a video of a gorgeous grey stallion appeared. Dwane Hankins was the agent/trainer for the horse, which was owned by a client in Texas, Christina Guilfoil. After speaking with Kristi Waters, the breeder/owner of KM Bugatti+++/, and Vicki Shula, who knew the horse well, he was purchased sight unseen, and their life together began.
Breeding-wise, KM Luminous is about as royally and functionally bred as one would want in a breeding stallion. His sire, KM Bugatti+++/ (Versace x Sanegors Lady D by *Simeon Sanegor), needs little introduction as he’s a National winner in Halter and Hunter Pleasure and is one of the most successful sires in the Halter and performance divisions of the last 15 years. His breeder/owner, Kristi Waters, is an inspiration to all stallion owners for her unwavering support of Bugatti’s get and grand-get. Louie’s dam, TA Jihana Bey (Genesis C x TA Jihan by VA Halima Star) is also a National Top Ten Halter Filly, multi-Regional winner, and an AHW Aristocrat broodmare, having produced several National Champions in both halter and performance.
KM Luminous.
“Louie” at Strand’s Arabian Stables.
Louie’s full sister is the exquisite Luxemere Jizette, 2012 US National Champion Junior Mare with two additional National Championships and one Reserve. In addition, TA Jihana Bey has produced two multi-Nationals winning show horses by Falcon BHF, Luxemere Patrician++++// and Phalanx BPA+, two of the top show geldings in our breed. Louie’s grand sire, Genesis C (Bey Shah x Passionn by *Padron), sired daughters that are incredible producing mares and are the dams of National and World Cup Winners, including Eden C, Arbiteur, LC Athens, and Genuine Magic++, among others. Louie’s mare-line also includes the important stallions and National winners *Padron, *Ansata Ibn Halima++, Nabiel+/, Del Taurean++/, and Desert Sands++, all going back in direct tail-female to the great Crabbet Park mare Rodania, through the Roger Selby import, *Rishafieh (Jeruan x Rishafa by Nureddin), the most prolific dam-line in the world. Remember, bloodlines tell-and they do.
Before “Louie” even left Florida, Preston Keeter approached Leslie about the horse, wondering if she’d thought about showing him at halter. This was the beginning of her friendship with the Keeter family, long-time breeders and trainers, and their Midcrest Farm. KM Luminous went to Midcrest Farms, and his halter career was born. He had been trained and shown as a Hunter horse, so halter was a new world for Louie, but he embraced it. He even went to Scottsdale with Preston and Leslie in AOTH and gave a very respectable showing in both classes in 2025. Being a horsewoman and rider first, Leslie wanted Louie a little closer to home, and he went to Jody Strands in Iowa. After only a couple of months, he became the Region 10 Champion Performance Horse Stallion, Reserve Champion Hunter Pleasure, and a Top Five Hunter for Ladies/Gents to ride. Not bad for a minimal time before the show, and all involved were very happy with the results.
Future plans for KM Luminous are staying fluid, but with any luck and some time, which is harder to get, Leslie will be showing him under saddle in 2026 as well. With several foals coming next year, it will be an exciting time for Louie as his new career as a sire evolves. He’ll be standing at stud, with excellent chilled and frozen semen, and is SCID/LFS/CA clear. He is nominated in several programs, including the Region 12 Spotlight, Scottsdale Signature, AWPA, and AWWA programs, as well as the Silver Sire program, and, of course, the AHA Sweepstakes. His fee is reasonable, and Leslie is very accommodating to work with, so if you’re looking at a horse that can sire both halter and performance babies, look no further!
The 2025 foal crop at Sugar Magnolia is on the ground, with a purebred colt, a purebred filly, and three half-Arabians. The filly is sired by US Top Ten Stallion Avatar AT (Wadee Al Shaqab x Ava by Vervaldee), is stunning, feminine, and black like her sire. She is out of Lillianna SRA, a Grossman-bred mare by multi-National Champion Vitorio TO and out of a daughter of DA Valentino, making her line-bred to the great stallion. H Aspire H, a grey daughter of the great *Gazal Al Shaqab and out of a *Eukaliptus daughter that goes back to Poland’s famed Algonkina mare-line, had a stallion quality colt by Om El Maximus (by Magic Magnifique) that will need to be evaluated as a yearling to see if he should stay intact.
The Half-Arabians include the AEPA Auction Foal, sired by HA Toskcan Sun+ and out of the ASB mare, Babs Gonzales. This mare intrigued me enough that I went back in her breeding to find that she was heavily line-bred, with literally dozens of crosses, to the great ASB stallion and World Champion Bourbon King, who was owned for more of his life by long-time Arabian breeder Roger Selby at his Selby Stud in Ohio. Leslie Ann plans on keeping this colt as a potential English show horse for herself. The next foal is a striking bay colt out of the Palomino mare Hi Noon Serenade and sired by the great Western stallion PA Marican Outlaw, by Sundance Kid V, and out of all Varian breeding. This stallion is owned by friends Brooke Bellville and her mother, Barbara Beaudoin. The last foal is an extremely upright, lovely bay filly by Nancy Cowette Sewards’ great Majestico (*Marwan Al Shaqab x La Vida Lloca by Concensus++++//) and out of the stunning, imported black Friesian mare Maaike Van Hilberalti, whom Leslie Ann imported a couple of years ago. This filly greatly interested me, as both Leslie and I are dear friends of Nancy Sewards, ever reminding us of how small the horse world is at times.
2025 Colt (PA Marican Outlaw x Hi Noon Serenade).
SM Avalon (Avatar AT x Lillianna SRA).
SM Majestika (Majestico x Maiike Van Hilberalti).
SM Massimo (Om El Maximus x H Aspire H).
2026 will bring possibly the most exciting foal crop to date for Leslie Ann and Sugar Magnolia Arabians, with the first of the home-bred KM Luminous foals to hit the ground. PA Excuse My French (PA Phoenix Kid+ x French Kisses+ by Ever After NA) will have the first purebred foal for the farm. With this mare’s exceptional dam-line going to the North’s National Champion Mare, French Psylk (Echo Magnifficoo x Indian Psylk by Padrons Psyche), it should be beautiful and athletic. Louie’s next purebred will be out of Moondance C, by the Legion of Masters winner Mirage V++++//, and out of Skye RR by multi-National Champion Eden C. The third Louie foal coming is out of Leslie’s imported Friesian mare Minka, and this foal will be of a similar cross to Lysa Roman’s handsome Divo CF.
The 2026 foals by outside stallions include a ¾ Arabian by the Nationals winning and National Champion sire Justify (Magnum Psyche x S Justadream+/ by Justafire DGL) out of the lovely palomino Hi Noon Serenade (by PA High Noon), and OFW Starling (Puccini J x OFW Swan by OFW Magic Wan) is bred to Om El Maximus (Magic Magnifique x Om El Bint Beenera by Om El Shahlimar). In keeping with the Om El boys, Lillianna SRA (Vitorio TO x Bonnabella SRA by DA Valentino) is bred to the exciting young LF Aarmaan Vittorio (Magic Magnifique x LF Aliyyah Vivendi) for hopefully another black superstar foal. OFW Sweet Marguerite (QR Marc x Covergirl PA by Cavalli) is bred to Orrion Farms super-sire Dominic M for a 7/8ths sister to the incredible Bella Z, and the patriarch of the herd, H Aspire H (*Gazal Al Shaqab x *Amba by *Eukaliptus) will be bred to either Om El Maximux or KM Luminous for next year, hoping for another filly out of this grand old mare.
“When I originally started with horses, I put my emphasis on buying the best mares I could. Buying Louie has evolved our focus into not being all over the place, and now looking at the mares and fillies that I’ve bred, and considering how they will cross best with him,” is Leslie’s mantra in her next chapter. She’ll still use the best outside stallions available, when appropriate, on her mares. The list is top-notch: Dominic M, Om El Maximus, HA Toskan Sun+, and the legendary Gazal Al Shaqab. Her favorites showing today include the halter horses Exxaltress, Bella Z, Lady Dominica, and, of course, KM Bugatti+++/. Two great performance horses are the Half-Arabian Ballerina BF with the Rookers and the stunning Mia Bellisima (by KM Bugatti+++/) in Western. Leslie’s little brother, Travis, and his partner, Gayle, live in Ocala, Florida. Travis works at Ocala Equine, and Gayle is a captain for JetBlue. They have OFW Sweet Margarite, the QR Marc daughter, and he is training her for Ranch Riding, trail, and combined driving. Who says great halter horses can’t do fun sports? A good horse is a good horse to Leslie, regardless of discipline, and as it should be.
I asked the question, “Where would you like to be in 10 years in your life,” and the answer was quick. “I’m working full time in the horse industry, out of corporate life, devoting myself to the horses, as I feel it is my calling. It’s what makes me happy and makes it worth rolling out of bed in the morning.
I believe in Louie, and I think he’s going to sire some really nice babies, both in hand and under saddle. He is quality through and through and can put a nice spin on the breed. I couldn’t have put this any better myself, and have little doubt that this is the future for Sugar Magnolia Arabians.
