Category Archives: Breeds

Paso Finos Keep This 80-Year-Old Amateur Rider in the Competition Ring

Dick Miller and Torbellino de Madrigal at the 2020 PFHA Grand National Championship Show (Cody Parmenter Photography)

Dick Miller, the Paso Fino Horse Association’s newest Hall of Fame inductee, was first introduced to the Paso Fino breed in the 1980s when he saw a sign on Interstate 80 in Nebraska advertising the “SMOOTHEST RIDING HORSE IN THE WORLD.” Nearly 40 years later, Miller (Fort Myers, Fla.) is not only still riding, but is also competing at top horse shows around the country, thanks to these unique horses and the tight-knit community of people who love them.

Though he grew up riding working ranch horses, Quarter Horses, Missouri Fox Trotters, and off-the-track Standardbreds, Miller was hooked on the spirit and smooth, lateral gait of the Paso Fino breed almost immediately. He visited the farm advertised on the highway sign and purchased the very horse he rode that day, Merodeador El Prim.

“I just bought the horse. I don’t really know why; I just bought him,” said Miller. “I was impressed by Merodeador’s personality, plus he had done well in a recent national show. So I bought him and rode him in as many classes as possible. The only thing this horse couldn’t do was jump!”

Miller credits the Paso Fino’s natural lateral, four-beat gait with his ability to still compete and ride. “Riding is not as hard on the body with the Paso Fino because you don’t have to post. The gaits are super-smooth. I have had a bad back since I was about 25 years old because of some injuries I got playing football as a kid. So not having to post is hugely helpful in my ability to keep riding,” said Miller. “They’re a smaller horse, too, which makes getting on and off easier as you get older. But don’t let their size fool you — they are little powerhouses.”

A few years, after purchasing Merodeador El Prim, Miller added another black gelding to his herd, Artillero Arroyo Maraca. The Paso Fino is described as having brío, the Spanish term referring to the horse’s spirited personality, and Artillero had it in spades.

“He was a horse of a lifetime,” Miller said of Artillero, a Paso Fino Hall of Fame horse. “You learn pretty fast what you like and what you don’t like. It all depends on the rider’s personality. For me, I like a show horse with a big personality. My horses are not great trail horses like many Pasos are, but that spirit is what I like in a horse, even today as an 80-year-old man. The breed can be intimidating to someone at first, but feeling that energy and power is incredible as a rider.”

Miller began competing in local shows, building up to some of the most prestigious Paso Fino shows in the world. He has owned more than 130 Paso Finos, competed in more than 3,000 classes, and won more than 85 national titles. He competed in the Mundial World Championships four times and showed all over the U.S., England, Germany, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic.

This year, Miller rode three horses and competed in eight classes at the PFHA Grand National Championship Show. He won one championship and two reserve championships. He and his wife, Sandy, own Mid-Iowa Paso Fino, a training and breeding facility, with Jorge Suarez and Ramon Cintron as their trainers.

“It’s amazing what this breed has given me. I didn’t even know about disciplines growing up; we just rode. Never went to a horse show. Now I’m telling stories about being in Germany for a Paso Fino competition and how I competed in international competitions like the Mundial,” said Miller.

After four decades of being in the Paso Fino industry, Miller is grateful for the relationships he has developed within this community. He has consistently given back through service on the PFHA Board of Directors, the Paso Fino Horse Foundation, and sponsorship and other support for the U.S. teams competing in the Youth Mundial over the years.

“I am grateful to have had the opportunity to ride so many talented Paso Fino horses and to cultivate friendships that will last a lifetime,” said Miller. “It was a steep learning curve when I started with these horses in the 1980s, but people were so supportive and helped me along the way. Every day that I ride and every show that I participate in is a testament to the incredible enjoyment this breed gives us!”

by Ashley Swift
© 2020 United States Equestrian Federation

Vote for Interagro Lusitanos in the Finalists of “Best Covers Contest” for Revista (Horse) Magazine

Since July, the Brazilian Horse Magazine “Revista Horse” has been engaging Instagram users across the world with their “Best Magazine Covers” contest. Over a hundred covers were selected to participate and divided into four categories: Breeds, Sports Disciplines, General, and Miscellaneous.

Interagro was directly represented by a number of these covers, including Edition 99, highlighted by the Lusitano stallion Perdigueiro (MAC). Bred by Assunção Coimbra Stud Farm in Portugal and photographed by Tupa, Perdigueiro cover was the winner of “Breeds” category representing the Purebred Lusitano on August 13th with over a thousand votes.

Interagro also had three other Lusitanos of its brand competing at this contest: Jackpot Interagro, driven by Interagro’s Antonio Souza, won the Sports Discipline category representing the carriage driving, photographed by Heleno Clemente for the cover of Edition 115.

Having been a part of Team Interagro for almost 2 decades, Antonio trained in Portugal with Jorge Sousa in 1994 and took a Driving Course at the Coudelaria de Alter in 1998. In 2014, Antonio was trained by Mr. Rui Quintino de Oliveira from Portugal and in 2016 attended clinics with Mr. Jorge Baixo from Portugal at Larissa Farm in Brazil. He dedicates himself to the whole range of Driving activities, from breaking youngsters to the most advanced training. His first test in Brazil was a four-in-hand, but these days on the farm he harnesses 6, 8, and 10 animals together. He now also gives tutoring courses to coachmen and horses and is a great wealth of knowledge and information for Interagro.

Antonio won the prizes “Hipismo Brasil” in 2017 and 2018 in the Single Professional division with Jackpot who was sold in 2019 to Monsanto Stud Farm in the 1st Ares Lusitanos Auction promoted by Virtual Stables.

Antonio’s partner for the Sport Discipline cover, Jackpot Interagro, is the last son of the highly decorated Nirvana Interagro and the black mare Naranja do Mirante, who scored 80 points at her revision and is the mother of Varanja Interagro and Zampano Interagro, who were sold to the US, as well as Apache Interagro who was sold to Canada.

In the General category, the Lusitano Bailos Interagro reached the finals with the cover of Edition 88. published originally in December 2015. Photographed by Fagner Almeida at Haras Godiva, located in Jose Ignacio, Uruguay, Bailos is owned by Mr. Mauricio Delucchi who lived in Itapira for years as Interagro’s head trainer. When Mauricio returned to his home country of Uruguay, he took with him the young grey stallion sired by Noblíssimo Interagro and Dona (RC), beautiful mare bred by beloved Architect Arsênio Raposo Cordeiro, by Venturoso III (MV) and Saloia II (MV), a daughter of Guerrita (MV) the mother of the mythological Novilheiro (MV) with Nilo (MV). In addition to Bailos, Dona (RC) also produced the International Working Equitation Champion Xaveco Interagro, sold at the auction Leilão Coleção Interagro 2006.

The final is scheduled for September 29th starting at 2 pm Brazil time (1 pm Miami time). Voting is at @revistahorse story on Instagram and it stays active for 24 hrs. only (as all stories do). Please join us in voting for Interagro’s fabulous horses and the gorgeous covers of Revista (Horse).

For more information on Interagro Lusitanos, Interagro’s horses for sale, or the Lusitano bloodlines, visit Interagro’s website at www.lusitano-interagro.com.

Media contact:
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
Holly Johnson
holly@equinium.com
www.equinium.com

Esparteiro Interagro’s Watchful Eye Graces Cover of Revista Horse

Cover of Revista Horse Brazil, June 2020. Photo courtesy of Interagro Lusitanos.

Itapira, Sao Paulo, Brazil (July 10, 2020) – During a trying time in world history, the reflective eye of an Interagro Lusitano was chosen to grace the cover of one of Brazil’s largest equestrian magazines: Revista Horse. Esparteiro Interagro, an elegant mahogany bay stallion, was photographed by Tupa as a young horse, and his pensive, intelligent expression accurately reflects the breed standard of the Interagro Lusitano sport horse.

Esparteiro, who has since been exported to the United States to pursue a dressage career, exudes the conformation, beauty, and noble air of his sire, Perdigueiro (MAC). The famous gray stallion (Hábil (MV) x Fidalga (MAC)) was also a cover star for Revista Horse in August of 2017, and is one of Interagro’s most influential sires. His offspring, including Esparteiro, excel in many disciplines including dressage, jumping, working equitation, driving, and conformation/in hand classes.

With travel between Brazil and the United States still mired in coronavirus concerns, Interagro’s US agents have been observing pairs of horses via WhatsApp video to select ideal FEI and adult amateur prospects before arranging for shipping to South Florida. With horses currently on 4 continents, Interagro is no stranger to selling horses virtually, even before the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic. A focus on integrity, quality, and trust between breeder, agent, and buyer has yielded much success in “sight unseen” sales via video, both in national and international auctions as well as one-on-one transactions.

For more information on Interagro Lusitanos, Interagro’s horses for sale, or the Lusitano bloodlines, visit Interagro’s website at www.lusitano-interagro.com.

Media contact:
Equinium Sports Marketing, LLC
Holly Johnson
holly@equinium.com
www.equinium.com

Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit Honored as Top Three Quarter Horse Show by AQHA

Canada’s Dr. Carole Joubert Gaboury and My Precious Gab competing in 2019. Photo: Cody Parmenter.

Tampa, Fla. – July 1, 2020 – The management team behind the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit is thrilled to announce that the record-breaking 2019 event has been awarded the coveted distinction as one of the top-three Quarter Horse shows in the nation, as ranked by the American Quarter Horse Association (AQHA). Out of countless shows from across the world, the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit, the highest non-ranking cattle event, ranked third behind only the All American Quarter Horse Congress and the Arizona Sun Country Circuit, high-quality company for an event that has consistently made the top ten leaderboard for years under the direction and show management services of An Equine Production.

“We are so pleased to once again have these shows recognized as some of the best in the country by the AQHA. It truly takes a village to accomplish such a designation, and we have to thank our exhibitors, staff and supporters for all of their hard work and dedication. We are looking forward to an even greater event in 2020 and can’t wait to see everyone back in the show ring,” commented Kathy Avolt of An Equine Production.

Expanding even further in 2020, the event will include a whole host of new classes such as AQHA Ranch Trail, L2/L3 Amateur, Select and 14-18 Showmanship and Horsemanship. In addition, the 2020 Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit will feature a series of amazing awards and parties, including a New Year’s Eve extravaganza. Save the date for Dec. 27-31, 2020, and then check flgoldcoastcircuit.com for schedules and forms when they become available in August.

For additional information on the Florida Gold Coast Quarter Horse Circuit, please visit flgoldcoastcircuit.com.

Remember Me Rose Named a Dam of Distinction

The 16-year-old mare Remember Me Rose is the newest AQHA Dam of Distinction.

The award recognizes the accomplishments of racing broodmares. To qualify for the award, a mare must meet one or more of the following criteria:

  • Dams that produced two or more individual AQHA racing champions
  • Dams that produced at least three individual Grade 1 stakes winners
  • Dams that produced at least two foals ranked in the top 10 money earners of any particular year, as of December 31 of that year, and two G1 stakes winners
  • Dams that produced at least three foals that were in the top 10 money earners of any particular year, as of December 31 of that year.
  • When the award was created, a grandfather clause also allowed mares that had produced at least three individual stakes winners prior to 1983, and those wins were the equivalent of a G1-quality race, to be accepted.

Remember Me Rose, who is owned by champion breeder Dr. Steve Burns, earned the award by producing three individual Grade 1 stakes winners.

The mare was bred by Dr. Max and Linda Alumbaugh’s MLA International, was foaled in 2004 and was purchased as a yearling and raced by Azoom LP. She began her career in Mexico, but quickly came to the United States and finished second in the Rainbow Futurity (G1) and fifth in the All American Futurity (G1). She then won the AQHA Juvenile Challenge Championship (G2) and the Southwest Juvenile Championship, which was then ungraded, and capped the year with a win in the Sunland Winter Futurity (G2). The following year, she won the Ruidoso Derby (G1) and was second in both the Texas Classic Derby (G1) and Championship at Sunland Park (G1).

She retired in 2008 with nine wins from 18 starts and earnings of $820,895.

As a broodmare, she has to date produced 28 foals, of which 19 are starters and 15 are winners. They have earned more than $2.3 million.

Her three Grade 1 winners include Powerful Favorite, Runforyourlife, and most recently Cyber Monday, who won the Ruidoso Futurity (G1) on June 7. All three horses are sired by Favorite Cartel.

Remember Me Rose is sired by Corona Cartel and is out of the Zevi (TB) mare Im Moonlighting.

American Quarter Horse Association
1600 Quarter Horse Drive
Amarillo, TX 79104

Meet Dani the Wonder Horse, Wellington’s Spotted Sporthorse

Photo by ES Equine Photography.

Wellington, FL (June 25, 2020) – Seeing spots is a matter of course for Laura Swanstrom Reece, especially when she’s in the saddle. Her 7-year-old mare, Danash’s Northern Tempest (Danash K x Chief’s Bold Angel), is one of the few competitive warmblood cross hunter jumpers on Wellington’s horse show scene, and the Friesian Appaloosa’s brilliant dark patches and snowy white with black points coat make quite the impression against the sea of solid, conservative colors typically seen in the hunter ring. But despite standing out in the hunter crowd and pulling her fair share of ribbons, the speckled mare’s true charm is found in a willing, sweet personality that is as beautiful and engaging as her unique coat.

Dani, as she’s known around the barn, spent the 2019-2020 Holiday Series and WEF 2020 showing in the rusty stirrup hunter division with Reece, and the green hunters with trainer Ashley Glica of ATG Equestrian. Her eager to please attitude and intelligence has made her a quick study in most endeavors, from finding the perfect rhythm over a hunter course and dancing around the dressage arena, to trail and pony rides, and even swimming in the farm’s lake.

“She is an incredible animal and really smart,” said Reece. “She’s so willing and so trainable, and that is what makes riding her a pleasure. She’s a unique combination of her dam’s conformation and her sire’s size and movement, and while her coat color makes her particularly unique, she has the athletic edge to allow us to pursue realistic show goals, even on the highly competitive Wellington circuit.”

Dani’s unique coat color, inherited from her Appaloosa dam, may appear to be a white base coat with brown/black spots, but the dark patches are actually a genetic absence of white, revealing brown underneath. All Appaloosa patterns are a variation of white, with different allele combinations resulting in more or less white showing on the horse. Dani’s leopard coloring, which resembles its namesake big cat, displays mottled brown and white over her face, chest, and lower neck, with the iconic black patches becoming clear and distinguished over her withers, barrel, and haunches, before darkening to a mostly black tail and completely black stockings on her legs.

With such avant garde style and standout coat color, Dani’s alluring look has recently attracted the attention of some of the world’s top equestrian brands. From photo shoots to shows to scheduled appearances, Dani and Reece will have a bustling 2020, and are growing their exceptionally engaged Instagram following as more and more fans join the journey of Dani the Wonder Horse.

Follow Dani on Instagram (@danithewonderhorse) to keep up to date on all her shows and events, and check back on her website www.DaniTheWonderHorse.com as it nears completion in the next month.

Media contact:
holly@equinium.com
www.equinium.com

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses – Still Making Visits

Photo — Scout at Brookdale Chambel Pinecastle, an assisted living facility in Ocala, Florida.

Therapy horse Scout usually visits hospital patients and residents of assisted living programs from room to room. When those facilities close to visitors due to the coronavirus pandemic, what is a 100-pound horse to do?

He brings his 2000-pound Percheron friend Tiny Prince Charming to visit waiting residents through the windows while human volunteers hold up signs with messages of love. Scout could not go inside and residents could not come outside, but they still touched each other’s hearts. Scout and Tiny Prince Charming put their noses on the windows when patients put their hands on the glass.

Scout is a member of Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses. For the last 22 years their teams of tiny horses have been bringing love to over 25,000 adults and children each year inside hospitals, hospice programs, assisted living programs, and with families, veterans, and first responders who have experienced traumatic events.

The therapy horses are also still working in children’s hospitals by using prerecorded programs combined with live video from their farm.

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses
www.Horse-Therapy.org
www.facebook.com/TherapyHorses
www.instagram.com/gentlecarousel

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses – Virtual Visits

“There is a pony on the phone for you.”

Many young hospital patients develop a special friendship with a favorite therapy horse over the months of their medical treatment. When the therapy horses can’t physically be with a patient (like after a bone marrow transplant or if they go home between treatments), the horses have made FaceTime calls to check on their young friends.

During the coronavirus pandemic, Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses is using a home studio to stay in contact with their friends in hospital care across the country.  “There is a pony on the phone for you.”

The horses make individual calls and plans are also underway to have a combination of pre-recorded story times and live feed from the therapy horses to play in rooms for entire children’s hospitals. This would use hospital studios that the horses have already been visiting in person for many years.

Gentle Carousel is also recording reading programs because the horses cannot do their regular library and school visits.

Virtual Fundraiser

Gentle Carousel’s two main fundraisers of 2020 to support the charity have been postponed/cancelled due to the current health situation, including the Walk Like a Pharoah Walkathon and Festival.

Instead of a large, public walkathon, the charity will have a “mini walkathon” fundraiser that can be watched safely from home. Three special horses will make the walk using the track where Triple Crown winner American Pharoah trained at the McKathan Brothers Training Center in Citra, Florida.

Tiny therapy horse Scout, a 2000-pound Percheron named Prince Charming, and The Sundance Kid, a recently adopted mustang who had been living in the wild on public range lands in Nevada, will be filmed while they walk together. The Sundance Kid had been passed over three times for adoption at three separate adoption events, making him a “three strikes” “unadoptable” mustang until he found his forever home.

The volunteers handling the horses will wear masks and keep “one Percheron distance” apart from each other during the walk.

Friends can sponsor Scout, Prince Charming, and The Sundance Kid to support Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses at: https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/GentleCarousel.

The “mini walkathon” can be watched on April 27th starting at 7pm on Gentle Carousel’s Facebook page.

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses is one of the largest equine therapy programs in the world. Teams of tiny horses bring love to over 25,000 adults and children each year inside hospitals, hospice programs, assisted living programs, and with families, veterans, and first responders who have experienced traumatic events.  A multiple award winning 501(c)(3), the charity is celebrating over 20 years of service.

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses
www.Horse-Therapy.org
www.facebook.com/TherapyHorses
www.instagram.com/gentlecarousel

The Horse Capital Parade

For our friends in Florida, an amazing experience with horses is coming soon: the Horse Capital Parade!

Where: Downtown Square Ocala, Florida, the surrounding streets and at the Downtown Market.
March 7, 2020 at 1:00pm – 6:00pm

A vendor village will open at 1pm on the Downtown Square with a beer and wine garden, great vendors, horse breed meet-and-greets, and at 4:30pm, an incredible horse breed parade, the speedy Historic Stagecoach, and the grand finale with the Budweiser Clydesdales. Watch them harness the Clydesdales at 2pm at the Downtown Market. There are also wonderful restaurants with outdoor dining where you can watch the parade.

Gentle Carousel Miniature Therapy Horses
www.Horse-Therapy.org
www.facebook.com/TherapyHorses

Fellini Interagro Graces Fall Cover of Equine America

Wellington, FL (December 12, 2019) – Lusitano stallion and FEI dressage competitor Fellini Interagro was the latest face of the 2019 fall issue of Equine America, a magazine dedicated to documenting the progress of American equestrianism. Fellini, who was born, bred, and is currently standing in Brazil, was photographed during his 2018 FEI tour of the Adequan Global Dressage Festival. The jet black stallion’s portrait was created by the discerning eye of artist, photographer, and conservationist Ramon Casares.

Known for his chiaroscuro images of equines and rehabilitated wildlife, Casares’ image of Fellini accents his use of light, shadow, and texture to conjure an ultra-detailed, engaging image. Fellini’s Casares cover was accented by Equine America‘s story on Lusitanos in the United States; Interagro is the world’s largest breeder and exporter of Lusitano sporthorses, with over 300 exported to the US in the past 30 years.

Fellini debuted internationally in the Small Tour at the 2018 Global Dressage Festival in Wellington, Florida and represents a blending of two of the most proven and decorated dressage bloodlines in Interagro’s breeding program (Nirvana Interagro x Ofensor (MV)). His return to Brazil to contribute to Interagro’s famed breeding program, and subsequently the quality of future Lusitano generations to be imported to the US, has resulted in a first crop of foals on the ground in the summer of 2018, including Oblata Interagro, a buckskin filly out of the talented Carmelita Interagro. Oblata was sold during the 2019 Interagro Yearling Auction this past summer.

Fellini’s portrait from Casares follows in a long line of rescued wildlife and sport horse portraits that have defined the photographer’s work. He has photographed animals from nearly every phylum, class, and order in the animal kingdom. With Casares Fine Art Photography appearing across the globe and garnering international acclaim, his images have captured the imagination of audiences at major media outlets and international art shows. Casares’ portrait style images of nature’s rarest and most common species are the artist’s true accomplishment and calling card. His trademark style is devoid of background distractions and illuminated to detail each whisker, feather, or scale. Realizing his images could generate support and awareness for injured and recuperating commonplace species, as well as those who are in danger of extinction, Casares embarked on a mission to unite his talent for photography with his passion for conservation. BROKEN was the result.

Equine America (EQ AM) is dedicated to expanding awareness of all America has to offer in horse sport. The magazine was founded in 2018 by a disabled combat veteran who medically retired from the U.S. Army after 17 years of service as a helicopter pilot and JAG attorney. The publication’s content focuses on a patriotic spirit positively infused into EQ AM’s pages.

For more information in Equine America (EQ AM), visit their website: www.eq-am.com.

For more information on Interagro Lusitanos, Interagro’s horses for sale, or the Lusitano bloodlines, visit Interagro’s website at www.lusitano-interagro.com.

Media contact:
holly@equinium.com
www.equinium.com