I was thrown from my mare, Lluvia de La Pluma (Lu), in late 2021 on an endurance ride. She violently spooked at an unknown horse eating monster. My pelvis broke for the second time in two years.
During the long four months spent healing and attending physical therapy I thought perhaps I would give up distance riding altogether. However, in March 2022 I decided to try again at a 25 mile ride held near my home. We completed successfully. No spooks this time, but keeping that potential in mind and with hot weather fast approaching I decided to spend spring and summer building a better relationship with Lu rather than competing in endurance. Cross training never hurts physical condition either.
A friend told me about The Oaks Equestrian Center, a few miles from me, where she was taking dressage lessons with KYB Dressage on her Andalusian and Lusitano horses. I visited and met the trainer and KYB owner, Yvonne Barteau. Ms. Barteau was Principal Trainer and Director of Entertainment at Arabian Nights Dinner Theater in Kissimmee, Florida before it’s closure. Prior to that she trained and competed internationally at the highest levels of dressage. In addition to running KYB Dressage, Ms. Barteau founded and continues to run a rescue facility, Horses Without Humans Rescue Organization in Bell, Florida.
After discussing my experience with Lu and my tentative goals for us, Ms. Barteau and I began round pen liberty work with Lu in the spring. When a young liberty trainer from Lexington, Kentucky, Ariana Sakaris, arrived for a couple of months Lu and I also worked with her. We learned a lot. And it was fun. All my goals were met but one (the lie down), but there is always summer 2023.
After Ariana left Lu and I did some basic dressage work under saddle. We learned a lot there, too: Lateral flexion, changes in speed within gait, shoulder and hip control, half-halts, getting true poll release and so on. The latter is still very much a work in progress and will be for some time. My partner, Ed Casillas, also took some riding lessons on his stallion, Marco del Padre.
In late summer Ms. Barteau asked us if we would like to participate with our Pasos in the 13th production of The Spirit of the Horse at the World Equestrian Center (WEC) in Ocala in December. All after cost proceeds would go to Horses Without Humans. Not knowing exactly what we were getting into we said yes. How could we not when given such a great opportunity to showcase our Pasos at a topnotch facility and within a truly professional, well-known and beloved holiday show including internationally known riders and horses.
Practice for the three shows to be held in December commenced in mid-October. We practiced twice a week and it was really fascinating to see our “ballroom” scene (the last scene in the show) start to come together. There were nine horse and rider pairs in the scene and we had ten minutes of riding patterns to perform. I had done some drill team riding years ago, but that was nothing compared to this. At times I think we all despaired of ever accomplishing the desired flow and precision needed to come even close to a professional event. It was not easy to rein in two gaited distance horses used to going straight down the trail at a good clip. Trying to match the trot speed of the other horses (usually slower than our gait) was a challenge. Everything Ed and I learned in lessons was brought to bear and then some.
It wasn’t just riding. It was also finding and/or designing costumes for both horse and rider. Ed and I were in the fourth (street) scene on our own feet and had to dress in Charles Dickenson era clothes. The ballroom scene demanded as much glitter and glam as possible for both horse and rider. We had a ton of fun shopping for the street scene in second hand and costume places for hats, cloaks and canes among other things. I was lucky to get on loan a fifty-year old costume to wear to the ‘ball” by a friend and well-known Paso Fino breeder, Mrs. Barbara Preiss. Her daughter, Carol Preiss, wore it to the opening of The Oaks Mall in Gainesville, Florida in 1978. Prior to that it had been commissioned and worn by another Paso Fino owner and breeder, Mrs. Betty Klein. My friend Penny Mann Bollhorst, also a Paso owner, found me some gold thread shot off-white lace to cover my head which I fastened down with a gold headband. Ed still had his tuxedo shirts, jacket and pants from the few shows he went to years ago. Horse glam was found at the Dollar Tree, Walmart, on-line and in my old jewelry box. And we even “shopped” at the onsite costume room set up by another performer to find a bonnet and colorful wool scarf for me to wear on the street just prior to the first show. Very professional to have this available.
We trailered to WEC two days prior to the first show. Friend Penny arrived a day earlier to set up her sewing area so she could do last minute alterations and make a few additions to horse costumes. She graciously agreed to put shavings in our horses’ stalls and to decorate our tack stall so we didn’t have quite so much to set up upon arrival.
We practiced three more times prior to the first show. The second time was dress rehearsal. That was a lesson in timing. We had to hurry back from the street scene, change into our royal looking costumes and get to the warm up arena to prepare for the ballroom scene. The skirt of my costume was made of heavy velvet, so heavy that I could not mount or dismount with it on. So, Penny to the rescue again. I climbed aboard Lu and she threw the skirt across Lu’s rump like a blanket, then hooked the top part of the costume to the skirt. Each night, to save time later at costume change, we left Lu and Marco saddled in their stalls, tied to the wall munching their special treat of alfalfa or peanut hay while we hustled to the street scene and back.
All three shows went well and the audiences seemed to love the magic the horses wrought dancing in the colorful lights. Each night, after the conclusion of the ballroom scene and the show, we turned our horses to the rail and invited the audience down to see the horses up close and to speak with us. Our two Pasos garnered a lot of attention due to their smooth gait and overall demeaner. Many had no idea what a Paso Fino is and we did quite a bit of educating. Many of our Paso owning friends attended and we were happy to bring people in to support the most worthy cause of horse rescue.
Ed and I really enjoyed the two plus months we prepared for the event. We didn’t always like it at the time, but we persevered and got it done. We are grateful for the experience and honored to have been asked to participate. We learned a bit about real entertaining in show business. And we are very happy to have been able to show everyone how versatile our gaited “ponies” are.
To learn more about Horses Without Humans Rescue Organization look on Facebook or on the web https//horseswithouthumansrescue.org.
At the 2022 PFHA Grand National Show, Vivaldi was inducted into the PFHA Hall of Fame. He is the 2021 Confepaso Mundial (World Cup) Grand Champion Fino Stallion. At the 2020 Grand National show held in Perry, GA Vivaldi de Besilu made history as he won Grand National Champion Fino Stallion for the 5th consecutive time (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020), breaking the record of the legendary Capuchino of which had won 4 times consecutively 33 years prior (1984-1987). Vivaldi also made his presence known at the 2017 XIII Mundial in Bogota, Colombia taking 1st Place Paso Fino Stallion and in 2019 at the XIV Mundial in San Juan, Puerto Rico he was 3rd Place Stallion. In 2020 Vivaldi was also the first Paso Fino to have been nominated for the USEF Horse of the Year award. In 2020 Vivaldi was also the first Paso Fino to have been nominated for the USEF Horse of the Year award. Vivaldi was also honored to be the 2021 Breyer Model and Breyerfest Guest Horse.
2022 marked the Paso Fino Horse Association’s 50th Anniversary. The year culminated in a huge celebration at the Grand National Show held at the World Equestrian Center in Ocala Florida where members were taken on a journey to honor the men, the women and the horses of this incredible breed.
The roots of PFHA began over 50 years ago, when thirty some Paso Fino aficionados got together to “officially” formulate their passion into a business to register pureblood Paso Fino horses. From this meeting in 1972 the Paso Fino Owner and Breeders group was formed. Notably member number #1 was issued to the late Rosalie MacWilliams and member #2 was the late George LaHood. These two along with the other organizers laid the groundwork for what has become the Paso Fino Horse Association. In the United States, the Paso Fino Horse Association is the purest registry of Paso Fino horses and hosts the premier competition for its members to attain National Championship titles.
These founding members gave the distinguished title of “Foundation Sires” to 6 worthy stallions.
These stallions helped to establish the foundation of today’s Paso Fino horses and secure a future for the Paso Fino horse here in the United States of America.
Tonight, as we recognize the contribution of our founders. We have the distinct honor to have four of them with us in this arena:
At the 50th Anniversary ceremony four members were honored for their contributions, their foresight, and their continued passion!
These four individuals have held numerous positions within our Association, helping it thrive and become respected worldwide. As an Association, PFHA has become the leader due to the high standards that have been set and maintained.
As this newly founded Association developed into a business reality – the leadership was also formed. The Presidents were the volunteers that stepped up and took the reins leading our Association down the path to where we are today. The following is a list of PFHA Presidents who helped forge the way.
These dedicated individuals rose to the challenges of their times – through growth, hurricanes, pandemics, and whatever hardships came their way THEY persevered and “We are PFHA!”
In 1998, under the Presidency of Mr. Larry Johnson, the Paso Fino Horse Association established a “Hall of Fame” to recognize members and horses. In 1999 the first inductees were nominated. That first year four members and four horses were inducted, followed by three in 2000 and two in 2001. Starting in 2002, the Association began the process as we know it today choosing one member and one horse from the nominations.
The Hall of Fame Inductees for Horses are:
Members who have contributed greatly to the PFHA are honored with their induction into the Members Hall of Fame. They include
As an Association we grew to host the most prestigious shows with some of the most dedicated, knowledgeable, and respected officials in the industry. In 2019 the Board of Directors wanted to acknowledge those that had dedicated themselves as officials representing the PFHA by granting those worthy of Emeritus Status. Our past honorees include:
Our 2022 honoree, Dr. Rolando Colón Nebot is a breeder, exhibitor and retired international judge of Paso horses. He was certified as a Senior Certified Judge by the Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA); a “R” with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) of the United States, as well as being certified by FEDEQUINAS from Colombia and the International Paso Horse Confederation (CONFEPASO).
Dr Colón Nebot is a LIFE member of the Paso Fino Horse Association and an Active member of the Puerto Rican Association of Paso Fino Horse Breeders of America (Los Abiertos).
One of founder members and first president of the Puerto Rican Association of Paso Horse Judges.
Dr Colón Nebot used his expertise to form the organization CONFEPASO in 1991. He then served as vice president. He assisted in editing the first by laws and regulations of CONFEPASO. In recognition of his extraordinary work, he was bestowed an honorary life membership.
In addition to being an official of PFHA, he served as member of the Judges and Stewards and Education committees. He wrote several articles with an emphasis to the controversial issues referencing the paso fino and trocha horses and their gaits.
Dr Colón Nebot is the author of the several books: “El Caballo de Paso, Estudio Ilustrado de sus Aires” y “El Caballo de Trocha desde el Arco a la Trocha de Nuestros Días”
As a judge, he has officiated in many different countries such as the Dominican Republic, Curacao, Aruba, Venezuela, Colombia, the United States and Puerto Rico. He has also judged the World Championships of Paso Horses (The Mundial) in the years 1986, 1993, 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2007 and serve as a judge for the PFHA National Show during the years 1997, 1999 and 2004.
Dr. Rolando Colon Nebot is an orthopaedic surgeon in Puerto Rico where he is the Chief Orthopaedic Surgeon and Medical Director of the Hospital Pavia de Arecibo.
Congratulations to our 2022 Emeritus Status Winner!
For an association to reach the height of success that PFHA enjoys today requires tremendous sacrifice and endless volunteer hours. We would like to salute those individuals for their time, dedication, and continued support. There are numerous members deserving of such an award.
PFHA honors those members who were and remain one of the first 1,500 to join the association
the DECADES OF DISTINCTION award:
Member #131 Carlos R Blanco
Member #137 Patti Blichmann
Member #212 Alexandra Amador
Member #284 Osvaldo de La Vega
Member #346 Rufino Figueroa
Member #347 Daniel Chaguin Figueroa
Member #376 Edith “Edie” Gandy
Presented in Memoriam of Member #389 Phyllis Gaudreau
Member #401 Dr. Rosanne Gmuer
Member #478 Michael Hoo
Member #506 Alvaro Iriarte
Member #507 Magda Iriarte Reid
Member #542 Carolyn Barren
Member #545 Jennifer Karnes
Member #676 Rick Meyer
Member #690 Bonnie Minter
Member #691 Charles Minter, Jr.
Presented in Memoriam of Member #692 Charles Minter, Sr.
Member #684 Bill Minter
Member #695 Nicanor Miranda
Member #720 Fred Moretti
Member #790 Ellen Perez
Member #808 Barbara Preiss
Member #832 Robin Ratliff
Member #887 Ernesto Sanz
Member #910 Laura Scouten
Presented in Memoriam of Member #976 Margaret Stewart
Member #978 Pamela Frady
Member #1006 Cindy Griffeth
Member #1018 Pat Figueroa
Member #1023 Elizabeth “Beth” Uelsmann
Presented in Memoriam of Member #1024 Larry Ulesmann
Presented in Memoriam of Member # 1025 & 1026 Mary & Tom Ulesmann
Member #1076 Lynn Gallop
Presented in Memoriam of Member #1090 Robert “Bobby” Yunits
Presented in Memoriam of Member #1182 Clemencia Iriarte Tobar
Member # 1392 Angelo Usategui
Member #1491 Rose Ann “Annie” Harper-Howell
And from Canada – Denise (Bos) Langford
We the members of PFHA – Thank you for the decades you have supported, loved and dedicated to this amazing breed of horse. We are PFHA because of YOU!
Remarks from PFHA’s current President, Jose M. Colon
“As we reflect on our history with the respect it deserves, we move forward with a creation to represent our future.
A new trophy has been designed by renowned sculptor Summer Frost that truly represents our amazing Paso Fino breed. This coveted award will be presented at our 2023 Grand National Show marking our step into the next 50 years igniting a fire for the next generation. This trophy made possible by the generous donation of PFHA member – Gladymar Vrkic. We are forever grateful to Gladymar who made possible this remarkable representation of the Paso Fino horse for our signature award.
Our future is now – Our future is bright – Our future is YOU the members of the PFHA! With you there is the promise of another 50 years! We dedicate the 2022 Grand National Show to YOU our members with much gratitude and honor!”