Ramiro Quintana is another example. Tossing his polo mallet aside, Ramiro knew early on that show jumping was a path he wanted to pursue. With a riding career that began in Argentina, Ramiro came to the United States at 18 and worked for Joe Fargis before striking out on his own as a professional. Also spending his winters in Wellington, Ramiro represents his home country on the international stage and, now in his early thirties, he continues to build his business as he combines his past experience with his vision for the future. And he and Emanuel are just two of the Latin standouts to watch on the circuit.
A Universal System of Riding Notable rider Alvaro Lozada has a deep appreciation for
both the highs and lows that come with leaving your beloved home country to start over again—all for the sake of a shot at becoming a top rider. Alvaro came to the United States at the age of 21 to pursue a riding career after gradu- ating with credentials to practice law in his home country of Venezuela. It was a leap of faith, but one that he was deter- mined to make. “When you come here, and you don’t come with a
substantial sum of money, you start as a groom or working student,” explains Alvaro, who worked for Margie Engle for three years. During his time as a groom, he began to learn English, understand the American system of riding and acquire the necessary paperwork for a green card. One point that Alvaro makes in the sport of show jump- ing is the increasing universality in which riders adopted the forward system of riding. “George Morris and Frank Chapot really brought this front and center in the 1960s,” says Alvaro. “Before that, of course, the German way of riding dominated the sport. With 15-20 years of South and Central American riders in the forward system of riding, the play- ing field has become more level. This is especially true in the past couple of years.” This important cultural shift has seen Jose Alejos, a
respected horseman hailing from Guatemala, increase his work with riders from these countries who are looking to further their riding skills. Growing up on a ranch, Jose did not receive formal instruction in the saddle, but instead spent his time develop- ing a feel for the horse. “My work revolves around forwardness and feel of the horses. I think the hind is the engine, and they have to really be able to move that engine wher- ever they want,” says Jose. With less of an emphasis on strict adherence to a tidily packaged-up horse and more on develop- ing the key ingredients
Young horse trainer Jose Alejos Vonesh from Guatamala frequents the U.S. A few years ago, he cantered Branscomb Farm’s mare Welcome BF for the first time.
The youngest equestrian competitor at the 2015 Pan American Games, Emanuel Andrade and his Hardrock Z, a 12-year-old Zang- ersheide stallion by Heartbreaker, participated in a five-way jump off for the individual bronze medal. They finished sixth. Andrade is based out of his family’s farm in South Carolina.
of straightness and impulsion, Jose incorporates the differ- ent elements of horsemanship under the central theme of developing a positive horse-human relationship. Jose has started quite a few jumpers, and his system of
training falls squarely as a solid foundation to the forward system of riding. Jose has partnered with hunter/jumper heavyweights Linda Allen and Julie Winkel for young horse clinics and has seen an increase in his work here in the U.S. as well. “Last year we had one Guatemalan rider attending the clinic and he came up to me and said that I had really changed the way he was riding. And I think that has a real trickledown effect,” Jose remarks.
Access to the Right Horses Of course, as any top rider will tell you, you’ll only go as far
as the ability of your horse. This part of the puzzle has been missing for many riders from South and Central America, as access to international horses is not as easy as it might be in other countries. It requires developing connections with the right breeders and trainers which all takes time. Within the last decade, the economic growth expe-
rienced in these countries has resulted in better access to high-quality horses, thus improving their own breed- ing programs. But still, most top riders in the region have learned to choose prospects from the well-oiled Euro- pean breeding machine, just as their U.S. counterparts do, whether it’s a prospect to develop, a seasoned campaigner to take straight to the international ring or mares and
Warmbloods Today 21
Allen MacMillan/MacMillan Photography
Silvia Alejos
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