Dedication and Love ... the Key to Success
Edgar & Alei Ortiz

 
Ten miles south of Ocala, Florida, in the city of Summerfield, lies United Paso Fino Show Horses, Inc., one of the largest breeding and training facilities in the country.  Founded by Edgar Ortiz in 1991, later joined by his wife Alei, in 1996, United is the home to approximately 145 Paso Fino horses.  

     Edgar and Alei came from two different worlds.  Edgar was born in Pitalito, Huila, Colombia, South America.  Alei, of Cuban descent, was born in Miami, Florida.  He is very serious and quiet, she is very talkative.  Edgar can have a full course meal right before a big competition; Alei doesn't eat and stays up all night before her tough classes.  He loves to play golf in his spare time; she loves to go shopping with her sister.  They have both dedicated their entire lives to what they consider to be the most special breed of horse, the Paso Fino.  Apart from all the differences there is nothing Edgar and Alei enjoy more than staying home at the farm with the horses and their menagerie of different animals.

 

                                                     
                                             

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      Up until this time Edgar had mainly trained and bred his own horses, taking in outside horses only on a few occasions.  Alei trained outside horses on a full time basis and only owned two brood mares.  Well, things changed overnight!  By late 1996, United Paso Fino was a full training and breeding operation for Paso Fino Show Horses.                                  

    During the following years United Paso Fino continued to grow.   

     On September 10th, 1999, Edgar and Alei got married.  Less than two weeks later they were at Nationals, where Alei won the National Championship Performance mare class riding Sucesoro de Retorno and Edgar came in Reserve on Traviata de La Luisa.  In the Championship, the tables were turned when Edgar won the Grand National Championship, beating Alei.  At this same National show in 1999, Alei was honored with the coveted "Trainer of the Year" award.  In the years that followed, she and Edgar continued to make National and Grand National Champions.  At the 2001 Nationals, Edgar received his "Trainer of the Year" Award.  

    Both of them love training for their Amateur Owner riders.

    

     Well, it's time to go.  Edgar and Alei need to get back to work!  Don't forget to include United Paso Fino Show Horses in your plans when you visit the Ocala area.  Summerfield is just ten minutes south of Ocala and the entire United Paso Fino staff would love to have you stop by!