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Dedication and Love ... the Key to Success Alei Ortiz |
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Alei began riding Paso Finos when she was twelve years old.
She had been taking hunter jumper classes and did not enjoy riding these
horses at all. It was then that her father bought her first Paso, a
mare by the name of Mimosa. Alei recalls how hot the mare was.
The late Pedro Gomez, who was a good friend of her dad, would come out
every day and tire the mare out for her before she rode. She says
that Carmen Cepero taught her how to ride a Paso Fino and gave her her
first equitation lessons. She will always be grateful to Carmen for
spending so much time with her. Alei recalls going to many shows
just to watch Carmen and Pat Figueroa ride. She spent hours of her
days dreaming she could someday ride like them. Alei says she even
remembers the pink jacket that Pat was wearing the first time she saw her
compete at the Huck Liles Arena in Davie, Florida.
Alei cleaned stalls and rode her father's horses everyday after school. When it was time for her first car she picked a Classic Fino mare, Alondra, over a brand new corvette, and ended up driving an ugly white Maverick, that would have radiator fluid shooting out of the front end all the time. Every time the Maverick would break down and she would ask her brother for a ride to school, he would bother her and tell her to ride her horse to school! At the age of eighteen, apart from working at her dad's farm, Alei began giving riding lessons to children in Miami. At the age of twenty two she began training outside horses. It was during this time that she was able to work at Startown Stables in Newton, NC, and later at Hacienda Besilu, which was then located in Wetumpka, Alabama. She is thankful to Alvaro Iriarte for the numerous hours he spent teaching her how to train a horse, and to Benjamin Leon for teaching her all about the marketing of horses. In 1989, she won her first Grand National Championship under saddle with her favorite Performance stallion, El Duende. Alei will always have a special place in her heart for him. She believes he opened many doors in her career. Alei talks about all her fellow trainers who helped her with so many training issues. Those friends are so many she does not want to mention names and leave any of them out. Alei also talks about all the nice and caring people she worked for. She remembers them along with all of their horses. Through the years Alei worked for a few different farms. In 1991, she decided not to work for just one farm any longer, and it was then that she went on her own taking in outside horses for training from clients in various parts of the country. In late 1995, and most of 1996, she had the opportunity to manage and train Nevado, a stallion she will never forget. He was kind, noble, and always willing to give her his all. Alei says it was because of Nevado that I met Edgar. And the rest is history.....
Alei on Nevado with Capuchino.
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