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Paso Fino NewsBig Splash In Santa Barbara
There were strong Pleasure classes with Imponencia de La Libertad owned by Michelle McAlister taking the Blue Ribbons in both Mares Classes and the Open Championship and Dona Cecilia de Milagro with Jennifer Fisher taking the AO Championship. Performance was very competitive with two four-year old fillies coming out on top, Gabriela de Milagro with the Mares Championship and Bohemia de Luna Llena with Michelle McAlister taking the AO Championship.
We would be remiss if we did not share that when we returned Park Rangers were waiting with the Police. It turns out there is no riding on the beach allowed in Ventura County and we promised to spread the word. We got a warning, but future riders might have their horses impounded so don’t do as we did. But we will never forget the feeling…. It was a most memorable day! Martha Coolidge Click here to download the show results in .pdf format
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Rancho de Milagro Sends 3 Horses To The NationalsRancho De Milagro clients Jennifer Fisher and Jesus Cruz will be sending two star Paso Fino’s with Rancho De Milagro Trainer, Gerardo Matos to Perry, Georgia.
Jennifer Fisher will be sending her 4 Year Old Pleasure Fillie “Dona
Cecilia de Milagro”, and Jesus Cruz is sending “Gabriella de Milagro”
his Performance Schooling Fillie. Bob & Patti Osborne will be
sending National Champion “Luna Llena de La Rosa” to compete in the
Fino Mare Division. Rancho De Milagro will have their Stallion
“Portal De La Luisa” well represented at this year’s show as 3 of
his daughters will be competing: “Dona Cecilia” (4 Year Old Pleasure
Schooling) “Gabriella” (4 Year Old Performance Schooling) and
“Portalinda” (3 Year Old Fino Schooling). We will keep you posted as
the show progresses! Paso Finos in Old Spanish Days Parade
HOLLYWOOD PASO FINOS made a dramatic appearance in the Old Spanish Days parade in Santa Barbara on Friday. In keeping with their goal of celebrating the Spanish heritage of the Paso Fino horse they wore beautiful costumes from the mid 1600s.
The group highlights the smooth riding Paso Fino horse and its history, descending from the first horses to arrive in the New World over 500 years ago with Columbus and the Conquistadors. This breed has been treasured and bred in the Americas for their beauty, temperament and smooth riding gaits. They became a foundation for many other American breeds including the Quarter horse, the Rocky Mountain horse and the Spanish Mustang.
Paso Fino's Were A Favorite At The Equine Affair
The Paso Fino’s got a tremendous reception at the two demonstrations that they presented. The first was on Friday at 11:15am in the main covered arena. This was a presentation of 11 riders beginning with Western Pleasure, then Trail, Pleasure, Performance and Fino. Gavin Silver opened the presentation on Baronessa in full Western dress; showing that a Paso Fino can lope. Juniell Rivera on Trofeo demonstrated the Paso Fino in Trail. Dawn Silver on Coronell, Luis Perez on Maravilla, David Kramer riding Dechoso, Gunner White on Toscana, Marcos Devarea riding Mascarita, Michelle McAlister on Imponencia and Belinda Hines on La Promesa displayed Pleasure and Performance. Afterward Raul Matos riding El Marcador and Jochi Rodriguez with Centauro exhibited Fino. In addition to the Fino trainers showing Fino, Raul and Jochi did a wonderful job of presenting Fino horses flexing, turning, spinning and side-passing. Jochi and Centauro side-passed the entire length of the sounding board bringing a huge applause from the bleacher filled audience. Martha Coolidge did an excellent job coordinating and announcing this presentation.
Larry Whitesell Gaited Horsemanship Returns To Rancho ToledanoJoin us Oct. 28 - Nov 1, 2010 for an inspiring clinic and gathering with Larry Whitesell at Rancho Toledano Paso Fino Farm in Penn Valley, Ca.
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The Santa Barbara National horse show started out
suffering like all other shows this year from lower attendance and fewer
sponsors. But as we trailered toward the breathtaking seaside resort and
hazy skies and ocean breezes cooled the air around the elegant oval
arena framed by the green mountains the show started looking up. Last
minute entries and added sponsors relieved the worst for the struggling
show but the best part was good competition. Several classes were
cancelled in all the breeds but the remaining classes were hard fought
and to add to the fun there were several new people showing Paso Fino’s.
There were also many new good quality young horses. 
The ribbons were hard fought. Most notably
difficult were the Classic Fino Stallions Class and Championship
featuring multiple work-offs between El Marcador de Cache (who won the
class) ridden by Raul Matos and Portal de la Luisa (who won the
Championship) ridden by Gerardo Matos. Both stallions have not shown a
lot yet are National Champions and the level of their competition as
they duked it out proved the high quality of Fino Stallions in
California. El Marcador also won the AO Blue Ribbon and Championship
with owner Martha Coolidge. La Luna Llena de La Rosa maintained her
perfect record taking Fino Mares and the Championship, while relative
newcomer Luis Belmonte took AO Fino Mares and the AO Championship on La
Odicea de La Gota.
Perhaps because of the lower attendance this show was very
friendly. Horse people mixed more than in the past and many of us
answered questions from other people about Paso FInos during the classes
and we learned more about Saddlebreds, Hackney Ponys and Friesians from
them making the show more interesting for all. Everyone enjoyed the
relaxed atmosphere, excellent dining and comfortable hotels in the Santa
Barbara area. It is certainly our most beautiful showground and pleasant
for the officials as well. Sharon Londono, judged an excellent show and
gave useful explanations and tips to the competitors. Fred Moretti was
also helpful as the Steward. Phyllis Beutyn gave great announcing and
“thank you” to Bea Fedor and Joan Porkola our ringmaster pros.
When it was all done it wasn’t over. A
group of us got together to realize a dream – riding in the ocean. The
beach was so near – but locals told us to go to Ventura as the parking
in SB is difficult. It was a perfect cool overcast day as we pulled in
behind the Ventura Showgrounds right on the beachfront drive. The
biggest trailer managed to squeeze around the kiosk helped by the
attendant. With salsa blasting and Puerto Rican flags flying our three
horse trailers and six cars were ushered to an open area to park by the
police and we unloaded the horses.
Gliding across the hard wet sand, splashing through the waves
with that unique four beat gait – the wind blowing in our hair - how
close to heaven can you get? After years of promising ourselves, here we
were finally on the beach. None of our show horses from Fino stallion to
Pleasure fillies had ever seen the ocean before - and at first all nine
of them were scared of the waves. Like little kids they ran away as they
broke and the foam rolled in. But soon we were chasing each other into
the deeper water. This was why we came, galloping, gaiting, horses and
riders totally in the moment, playing with total abandon.
The sound of their hoof
beats, “tacatacataca,” got the crowds cheering as they cortoed by.
The group lead by film director Martha Coolidge (known for VALLEY
GIRL, REAL GENIUS, THE PRINCE & ME and CSI) is sponsored by CPFHA,
El Rancho de Cache, Rancho de Milagro and Rancho Fino and has
performed in many parades before including three times in Santa
Barbara and the Tournament of Roses Parade. They have given
exhibitions at the Fiesta of the Spanish Horse, The Night of the
Horse and the Gold Cup. 
The other women riders in
the parade were Michelle McAlister, Madison and Melissa Bray and
youth rider Maggie Kosich. The men were two veterans of the group
Raul Matos and Gerardo Matos who are also the trainers of the
beautiful National and Regional Champion horses featured in the
parade. The exquisite costumes for the women were designed and built
by Costume Designer Christina Wright. Global Effects, a movie prop
rental house specializing in the middle ages, provided the men’s
costumes. Besides parades the members of “Hollywood Paso Finos”
perform musical acts with dance and stunts at horse shows, compete
with their horses and enjoy trail riding. More about the group plus
videos can be found at elranchodecache.com.
This year the
CPFHA had a 20 foot booth and a stall in the Breed Pavilion at the
2010 Equine Affair. The booth was essentially manned by Gus
Gonzales, Bob Rains and Belinda Hines.
On Saturday at
2:30pm the Paso’s were up again. Due to the intense rain our
exhibition was moved to a smaller arena over by the barns. In spite
of the weather we had a large crowd and Gus Gonzales not only
announced this event, but coordinated three horses Dechoso ridden by
David Kramer, Maravilla ridden by Luis Perez and Trofeo ridden by
Juniell Rivera. These riders were able to demonstrate to the crowd
the versatility of the Paso Fino, effortlessly presented each gait
and furthermore Juniell had Trofeo doing jumps during the display.
We received a superb reaction from the crowd.
Larry Whitesell, will return to Rancho Toledano in Penn Valley
California for a three day clinic as well as two days of private
lessons. Many of you were able to see Larry at the Expo in Pomona,
and you will have another opportunity to watch him at the Cal Expo
in Sacramento. Because this is his only private California clinic in
2010, we will fill with people from all over the state. Please visit
his website to learn more about his work with classical dressage and
gaited horsemanship for the trail and pleasure rider, as well as the
show rider. Riders may stay on the ranch. Dry camping is available,
and we are arranging for low cost local hotels for auditors.