By Karen Jenkins
Horses have been in my blood since I was a little girl. When I demanded my own pony at age five, my parents wisely
insisted on riding lessons first. This led to many years of instructions and various horses that filled my school-age
years. My parents insisted that if I had a horse, I had to take care of it myself. I think that they became resigned to the
fact that I was dedicated to making horses a life-long habit, when I they saw that in order to have my own horse, I would
brave the cold Wisconsin winters, carrying water buckets to the barn a half mile from the house in below zero
temperatures.
I spent many adult years riding and showing American Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walking Horses, Quarter Horses and
Hunters. I had many special horses over the years but there was always the thought in my mind that I really had not
found my “dream horse”. I had nearly retired from the show ring and was restlessly in-between horses when by
accident, I discovered the Andalusian.
A trip to California and the 1984 IALHA National Show was the preface to a week long trek up the coast of California
looking at every Andalusian that I could locate. I saw many wonderful horses but I did not see my “dream horse” until
we arrived at La Lomita Ranch in San Luis Obispo, CA. This fabulously beautiful mare, Oriana S, was standing in the
pasture doing “show poses” when we strolled out to view the broodmares. Of course, she was lovely as she was the
l983 National Champion Mare and as luck would have it “not for sale”. But my heart was lost so I waited patiently for
two months and then a call came from La Lomita asking if I “really wanted” Oriana. Did I ever! We added a nice two
year old gelding, Jaro T, and a pretty yearling filly, Gracia T to the package and I was in the Andalusian business.
Oriana S stayed in California for two years producing foals, but in 1987 I received the news that La Lomita was closing
down and their horses were returning to Majorica, Spain to the Ses Rotes Ranch where they originated. So Oriana
arrived in at our farm in Tennessee with her yearling colt, Oro T who later became the “airs” horse for Medieval Times
in Florida.
The major change in my Andalusian status arrived from La Lomita on the same van as Oriana S. Desperately needing
a stallion for my mares, I pleaded with La Lomita to send me the horse that in end became my real “dream horse”,
Ofendido VII. He was scheduled to return to Spain but in the end Pedro Salas, the owner of La Lomita, did me the
favor of sending Ofendido VII to live with us in Tennessee. From this wonderful stallion, I learned the true meaning of
the soul of the Andalusian. He became the foundation of my breeding program and my best friend for the next twelve
years. I see him every day in his many daughters and sons that remain part of the Music City Andalusians program
today. See “Reference Sires” for the particulars about Ofendido VII.
In 1988 I was fortunate to be able to add three imported mares from the Ganaderia of Franscisco Lazo in Helva, Spain.
Radiante II (black) Oradora IX (bay) and her daughter, Huerfana (bay). Breeding Ofendido VII to these mares, I began
to add color to our breeding program. In I992, I added two mares from the program of Marcela Grey of Mexico City.
Efigie and Geisha are both still important mares in our breeding program.
In 1998 our herd had grown to between forty and fifty horses as many more horses came from Marcela Grey. In 1995
she sent about 20 Andalusians for me to oversee in order to expand her breeding program to the United States. This
also included the talented and beautifully bred bay stallion, Fariseo II. At that time, I made the decision to move the
horses to Elkhorn, Wisconsin in order to be in an area where there was a greater population of Andalusians horses.
This was so that we could attend more horse shows. It meant that I had to commute back and forth from Nashville,
Tennessee but we enjoyed a number of years of successful competitions in that area.
In 2000 we added our first Lusitanos to Music City Andalusians. I had made several trips to Portugal and found the
Lusitano to be an exciting and athletic horse. I came to greatly admire the Portuguese dedication to a “functional
horse” and just had to expand our interests to include the Lusitano or “Puro Sangre Lusitano” as it is known in the
Portuguese registry. I was privileged to make the acquaintance of many of the Lusitano breeders and see first hand
their breeding programs. When in Lisbon in June of 2000 for the Lusitano Championships, I saw a weanling colt in the
ring with his dam and immediately made up my mind to take him to the U.S. In November of that year I returned to visit
his renowned breeder and my friend, Arsenio Raposo Cordiero, and claimed the colt, Tirol, and three weanling fillies,
Tainha, Taranbola and Tulipa to be his traveling companions to the U.S. Although we have a limited number of
Lusitanos, I feel that our selection is exceptional. Tirol has grown into a most talented horse. He will soon be seen in
the show ring to represent our Lusitano breeding program.
The years 1999 to 2002 also saw the addition of a number of exceptional mares and one colt from the Costa Rican
breeder, Don Tomas Batalla Esquivel. His program known as Ganaderia Ocho Estrellas, has a long history in the
establishment of the Spanish horse in Central America. Our fabulous, TB Trueno, a 2007 National Champion in
performance, is a great example of the excellence of the horses we gained from Don Tomas.
Fortunately I did not make the decision to locate in Wisconsin a permanent one, because I soon found out that
although I remembered Wisconsin summers from my childhood, I had obviously forgotten the wrath of the winters.
This was not my idea of a good place to raise foals. I was soon on a quest to find property in Ocala, Florida. This had
been a favorite area of mine for a number of years. The availability in all areas of horse accommodation such as
veterinarians, year round pasture, horse shows, etc. to say nothing of the vitamins afforded by the sunshine, made it a
very attractive place to raise horses.
To move forward with my desire to move to Ocala, Florida, in 2002 I formed a partnership called “Peninsula” with Mr.
Abelardo Morales Puron of Monterrey, Mexico. Mr. Morales of Cortijo Las Morerias fame had been a long time friend as
well as being the largest breeder of Spanish and Lusitano Horses in Mexico. He had been Top Breeder at the Mexican
Championships of both breeds for a number of years.
Mr. Morales purchased a farm in Ocala, Florida and we set about developing “Peninsula” as a representative for the
horses of Cortijo Las Morerias of Monterrey, Mexico and Music City Andalusians of Nashville, Tennessee. From 2002
through 2006 Mr. Morales afforded us the privilege of a number of his fabulous Spanish stallions such as, Zodiaco II,
Centauro XIII, Eucalipto Mor, Gaucho Mor (all IALHA National Champions) Amoroso, Ambiciso, Redondo V and
Rondeno and Lusitano champion stallions, Giro, Helvecio, Liro da Cosval and Tauro Mor. During these years Mr.
Morales was the Top Breeder at the IALHA show as we exhibited many wonderful horses from his program.
In 2006 Mr. Morales made the decision to return his horses to Mexico. The trials and expense of taking horses back
and forth through the quarantine station in Laredo, Texas became a real issue. Peninsula has been disbanded but we
are still representatives of the many fine horses of Cortijo Las Morerias. The Music City Andalusian program benefited
greatly from the services of the great stallions and bloodlines which Mr. Morales has meticulously assembled.
Music City Andalusians remains in Ocala, Florida and numbers about 65 Andalusians and Lusitanos. I have to say that
I love it here. It is the perfect place to breed horses of any kind and especially suits the Andalusian and Lusitanos. I
feel we have made progress in our breeding program by leaps and bounds since coming here in 2002. At the IALHA
show in 2007 we earned the coveted title of “Top Breeder of the Show”, by exhibiting a few of our outstanding young
mares under the capable tutelage of Howard Peet and Spanish Legacy Andalusians. (Click on NEWS). We are very
excited about the future of our breeding program. I love visitors and welcome all enthusiasts who would like to
experience the wonder of the Andalusian and Lusitano world.
THE ANDALUSIAN & LUSITANO IN THE UNITED STATES (MY THOUGHTS)
By Karen Jenkins
Since I linked my life with the Andalusian horse in 1984, I have been privileged to
experience these magnificent horses in many places around the world and to meet many people intimately involved in
breeding these horses. I had never been very interested in joining breed associations in the past but these horses
immediately caught my soul. I really did not want to go back into the horse show world but I soon found that I was
drawn back there if only because I felt that these horses needed protection from that world. I dreamed that this one
breed could be shown and not experience the American phenomenon of being changed as a breed to suit the
purposes of the American exhibitor.
I was wrong to think that this could happen without strong voices from the breeders to maintain the Andalusian in all its
historical glory. Today I feel even more strongly that the breeders have the responsibility to maintain the heritage we
have been so privileged to hold.
At the time I purchased my first Andalusian, I was totally discouraged with the “horse show world in the U.S.” It had
become my feeling that horse shows in the U.S. were “bad” for any breed of horse. Americans seemed to be bent on
doing anything to win and since most owners were inexperienced horse people they fail to recognize the lengths that
trainers and exhibitors would go to in order to achieve that end. I had personally experienced the ridiculous lengths
which the Arabian, Quarter Horse and Tennessee Walking Horse exhibitors had gone to in order to “win” to name just
a few. I was determined not so see this happen to the Andalusian. I also came to the realization that horse shows
were necessary as a market tool. It is the main method that a breeder has to test his program and to expose it to the
public.
With all of this in mind, in 1988 I joined the IALHA Board of Directors (then the IAHA) as a Regional Representative.
One of my biggest concerns was that the Andalusian was seen as a West coast horse at the time and there was a lack
of strong representation advocating the interests of the mid-America and East coast owners and breeders.
In 1988, I organized the first recognized IALHA Horse Show ever held east of the Rocky Mountains. It was held in
Nashville, Tennessee right in the midst of the torrential rains that came from the backlash of Hurricane Hugo. Great
fun was had by all and this show then became an annual event as it moved to a covered arena in Shelbyville,
Tennessee to avoid a repeat of hazardous weather.
In 1991 the IALHA National Championship was moved to Fort Worth, Texas for the first time. It has remained there for
the most part ever since, giving exhibitors from all over the U.S. the ability to come to this more central location. Music
City Andalusians was represented as an exhibitor in 1991 and every year thereafter.
For a number of years I worked on the National Show Committee helping to create new show venues, writing show
rules and producing the National Show. My efforts were continually in the direction of preserving the true heritage of the
Andalusian as well as showing how well it adapted to the American show ring requirements. I continually fought to
keep artificial appliances and abuse away from our venue.
My efforts were strengthened when in l994 I was privileged to make the first of my many trips to Spain, primarily
Andalucia. There I gained the knowledge of the true meaning of the history of this breed and how strongly it is tied to
history both in Spain and here in the U.S. I experienced the unbelievable athletic ability of the Andalusian and saw first
hand their noble temperament. I came home with even greater resolve to protect the Andalusian.
In 1996 I became IALHA National Show Chairman and produced two very successful National Shows in 1997 and
1998. We were beginning to draw the interest of visitors from many of the South and Central American countries as
well as from Europe.
During this time we began to hold Judges Seminars in order to educate our judges to the finer points of our breed
characteristics, always enjoining them to judge us as Andalusians and not as Arabians or Quarter Horses, etc. In
Nashville in 1993, I hosted the first official IALHA Seminar using a Spanish breeder as the instructor. It was a great
success and produced a number of great future judges for our breed.
In 1998, I became President of the IALHA and for three terms I traveled often to Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica and
Brazil serving the interests of our association. I met many wonderful people over these three years which today I still
hold as close friends. I signed Protocols with both the Spanish and Portuguese Registries that have facilitated our
breeders in their efforts to put their horses in the stud books of the mother countries.
I advocated the creation of breed specific commissions for the Pure Spanish Horse, the Lusitano and the Pure
Spanish/Lusitano Horse as aids to our breeders. This resulted in the creation of the breed classes at the National
show that are now a popular forum in which our breeders exhibit.
After three more years on the IALHA Board of Directors as Past President, I retired from the Board in 2003. I think I
missed two Board meetings during the entire time I served on the IALHA Board. I retired in order to spend time with my
own horses and to manage my breeding program. It was difficult to find the time for my own horses over all those
years so I reluctantly leave the management of the IALHA to others. I can only hope that some of what I have put forth
over the years has made a difference. I still am, and will continue to be, an advocate for the breeders and for
education. I believe in the wonder of the Spanish and Portuguese horse and now daily enjoy experiencing it. My
greatest joy now is in the new foals every year. I love to watch them mature into magnificent creatures as close to the
Spanish and Portuguese ideal as I can possibly achieve.
Horses have been in my blood since I was a little girl. When I demanded my own pony at age five, my parents wisely
insisted on riding lessons first. This led to many years of instructions and various horses that filled my school-age
years. My parents insisted that if I had a horse, I had to take care of it myself. I think that they became resigned to the
fact that I was dedicated to making horses a life-long habit, when I they saw that in order to have my own horse, I would
brave the cold Wisconsin winters, carrying water buckets to the barn a half mile from the house in below zero
temperatures.
I spent many adult years riding and showing American Saddlebreds, Tennessee Walking Horses, Quarter Horses and
Hunters. I had many special horses over the years but there was always the thought in my mind that I really had not
found my “dream horse”. I had nearly retired from the show ring and was restlessly in-between horses when by
accident, I discovered the Andalusian.
A trip to California and the 1984 IALHA National Show was the preface to a week long trek up the coast of California
looking at every Andalusian that I could locate. I saw many wonderful horses but I did not see my “dream horse” until
we arrived at La Lomita Ranch in San Luis Obispo, CA. This fabulously beautiful mare, Oriana S, was standing in the
pasture doing “show poses” when we strolled out to view the broodmares. Of course, she was lovely as she was the
l983 National Champion Mare and as luck would have it “not for sale”. But my heart was lost so I waited patiently for
two months and then a call came from La Lomita asking if I “really wanted” Oriana. Did I ever! We added a nice two
year old gelding, Jaro T, and a pretty yearling filly, Gracia T to the package and I was in the Andalusian business.
Oriana S stayed in California for two years producing foals, but in 1987 I received the news that La Lomita was closing
down and their horses were returning to Majorica, Spain to the Ses Rotes Ranch where they originated. So Oriana
arrived in at our farm in Tennessee with her yearling colt, Oro T who later became the “airs” horse for Medieval Times
in Florida.
The major change in my Andalusian status arrived from La Lomita on the same van as Oriana S. Desperately needing
a stallion for my mares, I pleaded with La Lomita to send me the horse that in end became my real “dream horse”,
Ofendido VII. He was scheduled to return to Spain but in the end Pedro Salas, the owner of La Lomita, did me the
favor of sending Ofendido VII to live with us in Tennessee. From this wonderful stallion, I learned the true meaning of
the soul of the Andalusian. He became the foundation of my breeding program and my best friend for the next twelve
years. I see him every day in his many daughters and sons that remain part of the Music City Andalusians program
today. See “Reference Sires” for the particulars about Ofendido VII.
In 1988 I was fortunate to be able to add three imported mares from the Ganaderia of Franscisco Lazo in Helva, Spain.
Radiante II (black) Oradora IX (bay) and her daughter, Huerfana (bay). Breeding Ofendido VII to these mares, I began
to add color to our breeding program. In I992, I added two mares from the program of Marcela Grey of Mexico City.
Efigie and Geisha are both still important mares in our breeding program.
In 1998 our herd had grown to between forty and fifty horses as many more horses came from Marcela Grey. In 1995
she sent about 20 Andalusians for me to oversee in order to expand her breeding program to the United States. This
also included the talented and beautifully bred bay stallion, Fariseo II. At that time, I made the decision to move the
horses to Elkhorn, Wisconsin in order to be in an area where there was a greater population of Andalusians horses.
This was so that we could attend more horse shows. It meant that I had to commute back and forth from Nashville,
Tennessee but we enjoyed a number of years of successful competitions in that area.
In 2000 we added our first Lusitanos to Music City Andalusians. I had made several trips to Portugal and found the
Lusitano to be an exciting and athletic horse. I came to greatly admire the Portuguese dedication to a “functional
horse” and just had to expand our interests to include the Lusitano or “Puro Sangre Lusitano” as it is known in the
Portuguese registry. I was privileged to make the acquaintance of many of the Lusitano breeders and see first hand
their breeding programs. When in Lisbon in June of 2000 for the Lusitano Championships, I saw a weanling colt in the
ring with his dam and immediately made up my mind to take him to the U.S. In November of that year I returned to visit
his renowned breeder and my friend, Arsenio Raposo Cordiero, and claimed the colt, Tirol, and three weanling fillies,
Tainha, Taranbola and Tulipa to be his traveling companions to the U.S. Although we have a limited number of
Lusitanos, I feel that our selection is exceptional. Tirol has grown into a most talented horse. He will soon be seen in
the show ring to represent our Lusitano breeding program.
The years 1999 to 2002 also saw the addition of a number of exceptional mares and one colt from the Costa Rican
breeder, Don Tomas Batalla Esquivel. His program known as Ganaderia Ocho Estrellas, has a long history in the
establishment of the Spanish horse in Central America. Our fabulous, TB Trueno, a 2007 National Champion in
performance, is a great example of the excellence of the horses we gained from Don Tomas.
Fortunately I did not make the decision to locate in Wisconsin a permanent one, because I soon found out that
although I remembered Wisconsin summers from my childhood, I had obviously forgotten the wrath of the winters.
This was not my idea of a good place to raise foals. I was soon on a quest to find property in Ocala, Florida. This had
been a favorite area of mine for a number of years. The availability in all areas of horse accommodation such as
veterinarians, year round pasture, horse shows, etc. to say nothing of the vitamins afforded by the sunshine, made it a
very attractive place to raise horses.
To move forward with my desire to move to Ocala, Florida, in 2002 I formed a partnership called “Peninsula” with Mr.
Abelardo Morales Puron of Monterrey, Mexico. Mr. Morales of Cortijo Las Morerias fame had been a long time friend as
well as being the largest breeder of Spanish and Lusitano Horses in Mexico. He had been Top Breeder at the Mexican
Championships of both breeds for a number of years.
Mr. Morales purchased a farm in Ocala, Florida and we set about developing “Peninsula” as a representative for the
horses of Cortijo Las Morerias of Monterrey, Mexico and Music City Andalusians of Nashville, Tennessee. From 2002
through 2006 Mr. Morales afforded us the privilege of a number of his fabulous Spanish stallions such as, Zodiaco II,
Centauro XIII, Eucalipto Mor, Gaucho Mor (all IALHA National Champions) Amoroso, Ambiciso, Redondo V and
Rondeno and Lusitano champion stallions, Giro, Helvecio, Liro da Cosval and Tauro Mor. During these years Mr.
Morales was the Top Breeder at the IALHA show as we exhibited many wonderful horses from his program.
In 2006 Mr. Morales made the decision to return his horses to Mexico. The trials and expense of taking horses back
and forth through the quarantine station in Laredo, Texas became a real issue. Peninsula has been disbanded but we
are still representatives of the many fine horses of Cortijo Las Morerias. The Music City Andalusian program benefited
greatly from the services of the great stallions and bloodlines which Mr. Morales has meticulously assembled.
Music City Andalusians remains in Ocala, Florida and numbers about 65 Andalusians and Lusitanos. I have to say that
I love it here. It is the perfect place to breed horses of any kind and especially suits the Andalusian and Lusitanos. I
feel we have made progress in our breeding program by leaps and bounds since coming here in 2002. At the IALHA
show in 2007 we earned the coveted title of “Top Breeder of the Show”, by exhibiting a few of our outstanding young
mares under the capable tutelage of Howard Peet and Spanish Legacy Andalusians. (Click on NEWS). We are very
excited about the future of our breeding program. I love visitors and welcome all enthusiasts who would like to
experience the wonder of the Andalusian and Lusitano world.
THE ANDALUSIAN & LUSITANO IN THE UNITED STATES (MY THOUGHTS)
By Karen Jenkins
Since I linked my life with the Andalusian horse in 1984, I have been privileged to
experience these magnificent horses in many places around the world and to meet many people intimately involved in
breeding these horses. I had never been very interested in joining breed associations in the past but these horses
immediately caught my soul. I really did not want to go back into the horse show world but I soon found that I was
drawn back there if only because I felt that these horses needed protection from that world. I dreamed that this one
breed could be shown and not experience the American phenomenon of being changed as a breed to suit the
purposes of the American exhibitor.
I was wrong to think that this could happen without strong voices from the breeders to maintain the Andalusian in all its
historical glory. Today I feel even more strongly that the breeders have the responsibility to maintain the heritage we
have been so privileged to hold.
At the time I purchased my first Andalusian, I was totally discouraged with the “horse show world in the U.S.” It had
become my feeling that horse shows in the U.S. were “bad” for any breed of horse. Americans seemed to be bent on
doing anything to win and since most owners were inexperienced horse people they fail to recognize the lengths that
trainers and exhibitors would go to in order to achieve that end. I had personally experienced the ridiculous lengths
which the Arabian, Quarter Horse and Tennessee Walking Horse exhibitors had gone to in order to “win” to name just
a few. I was determined not so see this happen to the Andalusian. I also came to the realization that horse shows
were necessary as a market tool. It is the main method that a breeder has to test his program and to expose it to the
public.
With all of this in mind, in 1988 I joined the IALHA Board of Directors (then the IAHA) as a Regional Representative.
One of my biggest concerns was that the Andalusian was seen as a West coast horse at the time and there was a lack
of strong representation advocating the interests of the mid-America and East coast owners and breeders.
In 1988, I organized the first recognized IALHA Horse Show ever held east of the Rocky Mountains. It was held in
Nashville, Tennessee right in the midst of the torrential rains that came from the backlash of Hurricane Hugo. Great
fun was had by all and this show then became an annual event as it moved to a covered arena in Shelbyville,
Tennessee to avoid a repeat of hazardous weather.
In 1991 the IALHA National Championship was moved to Fort Worth, Texas for the first time. It has remained there for
the most part ever since, giving exhibitors from all over the U.S. the ability to come to this more central location. Music
City Andalusians was represented as an exhibitor in 1991 and every year thereafter.
For a number of years I worked on the National Show Committee helping to create new show venues, writing show
rules and producing the National Show. My efforts were continually in the direction of preserving the true heritage of the
Andalusian as well as showing how well it adapted to the American show ring requirements. I continually fought to
keep artificial appliances and abuse away from our venue.
My efforts were strengthened when in l994 I was privileged to make the first of my many trips to Spain, primarily
Andalucia. There I gained the knowledge of the true meaning of the history of this breed and how strongly it is tied to
history both in Spain and here in the U.S. I experienced the unbelievable athletic ability of the Andalusian and saw first
hand their noble temperament. I came home with even greater resolve to protect the Andalusian.
In 1996 I became IALHA National Show Chairman and produced two very successful National Shows in 1997 and
1998. We were beginning to draw the interest of visitors from many of the South and Central American countries as
well as from Europe.
During this time we began to hold Judges Seminars in order to educate our judges to the finer points of our breed
characteristics, always enjoining them to judge us as Andalusians and not as Arabians or Quarter Horses, etc. In
Nashville in 1993, I hosted the first official IALHA Seminar using a Spanish breeder as the instructor. It was a great
success and produced a number of great future judges for our breed.
In 1998, I became President of the IALHA and for three terms I traveled often to Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Costa Rica and
Brazil serving the interests of our association. I met many wonderful people over these three years which today I still
hold as close friends. I signed Protocols with both the Spanish and Portuguese Registries that have facilitated our
breeders in their efforts to put their horses in the stud books of the mother countries.
I advocated the creation of breed specific commissions for the Pure Spanish Horse, the Lusitano and the Pure
Spanish/Lusitano Horse as aids to our breeders. This resulted in the creation of the breed classes at the National
show that are now a popular forum in which our breeders exhibit.
After three more years on the IALHA Board of Directors as Past President, I retired from the Board in 2003. I think I
missed two Board meetings during the entire time I served on the IALHA Board. I retired in order to spend time with my
own horses and to manage my breeding program. It was difficult to find the time for my own horses over all those
years so I reluctantly leave the management of the IALHA to others. I can only hope that some of what I have put forth
over the years has made a difference. I still am, and will continue to be, an advocate for the breeders and for
education. I believe in the wonder of the Spanish and Portuguese horse and now daily enjoy experiencing it. My
greatest joy now is in the new foals every year. I love to watch them mature into magnificent creatures as close to the
Spanish and Portuguese ideal as I can possibly achieve.
