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

     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 and giggles all the time.  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, Ani, co-owner of Alei and Ani's Shabby Shak, a mobile boutique Alei and her sister set up at the large shows.  One asks, how can two individuals who are so different spend so much time along side each other?  Well, Alei and Edgar's love toward the Paso Fino Horse is what brought them together.  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 two English Bulldogs Lulu and Sancho.

     Edgar and Alei joined forces in August of 1996.  Edgar drove from Summerfield, Florida to Cornelius, North Carolina with a horse trailer.  It was at this time that Alei, her two broodmares, and eight training horses moved down to Florida.  Edgar took six of the horses in his trailer and the rest were shipped one week later.  

     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.  

     Alei will never forget how one and a half months after arriving in Florida, Edgar won the Reserve National Championship in the Classic Fino stallion class with Tobias del Ocho.  The night before the Championship class, he told her that he wanted her to ride Tobias back in the Championship.  That next day was one of the funniest days in Alei's life.  She clearly remembers the crowd, the music, and the Reserve Grand National Championship she won on a stallion she had grown to love in such a short time. 

    During the following years United Paso Fino continued to grow.  At the end of 1998, they began to represent Criadero La Luisa in the United States.  La Luisa was one of the largest Paso Fino farms in South America.  Under the training and management of Edgar and Alei, many of these horses became National and Grand National Champions in the US.  Even though they are not managing this farm any longer, they will always remember La Luisa and the Patrimonio bloodline (herd sire of La Luisa) that will always be a very important part of their breeding program.  

     On April 4, 1999, Prometido de Selecta arrived in Alei's life after a breeding season in Puerto Rico.  This was definitely one of the most important highlights in her life.  Through the years, Prometido has taken a special place in Alei's heart.  She says she cannot imagine her life without him.  He is truly her best friend and she wants to take care of him for the rest of his life.  

     On September 10th, 1999, Edgar and Alei got married with their good friends Bob and Sheila Spence serving as witnesses.  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.  Last year at the 2003 Grand National Championship show, United Paso Fino brought home 23 National titles; six Grand National Championships, six National Championships, and eleven Reserve National Championships, all of them under saddle, in both the professional and amateur owner divisions.  Edgar and Alei are thankful for the trainers that work with them, Ruben, Alonso, Jamie, and then Alfredo.  They are always quick to mention that none of this would be possible if it wasn't for them and for all of the wonderful clients who make all of this possible.  

     Both of them love training for their Amateur Owner riders especially for their two favorite girls.  Sub-Junior rider Jordan Irvan, and Junior rider Lexie Love, who has received the title of National High Point Youth rider on various occasions.  

     Alei is really enjoying training Lexie's new mare, Maraquita III la Rosa.  She is the only sister in the world on the mother's side to Maraquita la Rosa, multi Grand National Champion Classic Fino Mare.  Lexie's parents, Davis and Robin bought her the mare after she won the title of Third Grand National Classic Fino Champion at Nationals last year.  She will be making her debut in the Performance division during the  2004 show season.  Alei says that training this mare has been an unbelievable experience for her.   She talks about how amazing it is for a mare with so much brio to be so kind, noble, and ready to work at all times.  "All I have to do is cluck to her once or barely squeeze my legs and she feels like I just put her in fifth gear with her feet going 100 miles a minute." says Alei, who also mentions that what she likes most about the mare is the big smile on Lexie's face when she riders her!

     Well, it's time to go.  Edgar and Alei need to get back to work!  They just had their first open house on April 24, 2004, as part of the Florida PFHA Farm Tour.  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!