Welcome!

Barnowl LaManchas is owned by Ardis Lyons and Mariah Acton, we are located in beautiful Vancouver, Washington. The herd’s foundation doe was Tempo Mariah’s Selena, an Experimental LaMancha-Saanen given to us by Laurie Acton in 1995. For the next few years we remained primarily an offshoot of the Tempo herd. In 1999, we established the Barnowl herd name and have since become a prospering LaMancha and Experimental herd. For a full, photo-filled history of our herd (and our family) we invite you to check out our 20th Anniversary Photobook—it’s a fun little trip down memory lane!

Barnowl Breeder’s Trio in 2010
L-R: SGCH Barnowl Acythera *M, SGCH Barnowl Hockus Pockus 2*M, CH Barnowl Quaffle

Having began with an Experimental doe, our herd enjoys the open herdbook of the LaMancha breed and looks to epitomize the LaMancha ideal as the American “melting pot” breed. For us this has meant incorporating and breeding for the dairyness, strength, and productivity of the Saanen breed, while maintaining and enhancing the vigorous personality, devoted temperament, longevity, higher milk components, stylish general appearance, and, of course, those characteristic small ears of the LaMancha breed. Since getting started, we’ve also applied this same approach to experimenting with Oberhasli and LaMancha genetics. We started with this long, tall, milky goal when LaManchas were not known for their large, open frames or dairy strength, today this style now represents the modern LaMancha—we are proud to have in any small way influenced that evolution and proud to continue breeding consistently for this style of animal. Actually, nothing makes us more excited than to look back through our 20+ years of breeding and see the incredible consistency in the type of doe we breed across our lines and throughout the years. 

Barnowl Breeder’s Trio in 2018
L-R: SGCH Barnowl Auriga 3*M, SGCH Barnowl Magical Encore 3*M, GCH Barnowl Quivira Q 3*M

Barnowl works predominately from five matrilineal lines.  First, the magic line, which includes Bewitched, Hockus, and their many progeny.  This line is known for their strength in mammary structure and productivity. Second, the A line, with names originally deriving from mythology, which includes Amaltheia, Acythera (“Fish”), and their progeny.  A line does are known for their large, open frames and general appearance. Third, the Q line, which began with Quidditch and includes Quaffle, Quill, Quivira, and their progeny.  Q does are known for their balance across the scorecard. The Olympic figure skater line is our fourth maternal influence and the only LaMancha line in Mariah’s name, this is a continuation of Laurie’s line and was brought into our herd through the kindly-gifted SGCH Tempo Elena 7*M. Another balanced line, these does are known most for their incredible personalities, longevity, white coats, and adorable wattles. Finally, the Red line is our primary Experimental line, coming down from another kindly-gifted doe, an Oberhasli named SGCH White-Haven Solace 6*M. Although all of the lines have a similar Barnowl style, each brings something unique to our herd and we enjoy trying to find the perfect mix between these lines. 

Today our LaMancha herd encompasses a wide variety of national-quality blood lines, and with star milkers, SGCH show does, and Linear Appraised Excellents we are proud to introduce our magnificent and rewarding herd. Thank you for your interest in our herd and feel free to contact us anytime.