Our Story
In 2018, Donna Lubben returned to the horse industry after a hiatus, during which she dedicated herself to raising her children. Donna’s deep-rooted connection to the Saddlebred industry spurred her reentry into the world of horses.
Her journey began with acquiring a mare from Randy Sullivan’s Training Center Inc., a Saddlebred/Arabian cross. This experience ignited Donna’s passion for Arabian breeds, setting the stage for what would eventually become the vision behind Midwest Stud Services.
Donna began extensively exploring Arabian bloodlines, dissecting their intricacies and nuances, ultimately falling in love with the Khadraj and Sundance Kid V lineages. This newfound passion led to her next acquisition for the show ring: Bluer than Blue J+/ (Khadraj x Blue Moon J), a gelding bred by Jerland Farms. Bluer than Blue J+/ possessed all the qualities the Lubben family cherished in the Arabian breed, including exceptional quality, type, disposition, and graceful movement.
After enjoying several successful years in the show ring with Bluer than Blue J+/, tragedy struck when he suffered a devastating accident while in his stall, resulting in a fractured hock. With a grim prognosis but still determined to ensure the gelding’s safety and secure a forever home for their beloved Blue, Donna made the heartfelt decision to gift him to RSTC, with the understanding that he could never be sold, providing him with a permanent loving home.
Donna’s vision was to create horses of exceptional quality, and she embarked on a mission to do just that.
During his early training, PA Antor (bred by Palmetto Arabains) caught the eye of Donna’s son, Nic Lubben. “He immediately became enamored with this elegant youngster,” said Donna. “So we watched [Antor] grow and learn. During this time, we thought about the responsibility of managing a stallion and the team we would need to support his success. We immediately turned to the Randy Sullivan team.”
Donna’s journey continued with the acquisition of PA Antor, bred by Palmetto Arabians.
“As he worked his way through the Sullivan program, he just kept getting better and better,” Donna remarks. “He grew in size and strength, resulting in a softness of movement and balance.
PA Antor enjoyed a successful show ring career and made an impressive mark with several breedings sold within his first year at stud. After two years, he found a new home with Laura Koch, serving as an amateur and open western pleasure mount.
Donna and her family relished the experience of nurturing a young prospect, witnessing their horse’s triumphs both in the show ring and as a breeding stallion. They were driven by the desire to replicate the excitement and joy of this journey time and time again.
Midwest Stud Services has expanded its portfolio with Viquator Aljassimya and Khaptivation J, two promising young stallions. The family has grand aspirations for these stallions, and they eagerly anticipate the growing success and expansion they envision.
"Randy is such a master with horses," says Donna. "He reads them so well. PA Antor was given the time to develop and refine without overloading him. He kept his kindness and good-thinking nature."
