Carmin

As far back as I can remember when I was just a young child I dreamed of having a champion horse in the show ring. This is how everything started with that need inside of me to have a champion horse like CARMIN.

One afternoon at our farm, the J2C ranch in Medellin Colombia, I overheard quite by accident as I was walking by, some of our horse “knows it all” friends (sabiondos like we call them in Colombia) talking about a young fino colt that Don Fabio Ochoa recently showed in “La Ceja” in January 1981. It was interesting that I decided to listen in so that I could learn more about this young 3 year old colt. Since that moment, these feeling that I had while listening to these people talk about this exciting colt, is still one that still cannot find a way to explain today.

I did everything I could to see this colt but it was impossible to view him until the next show was held in Medellin the following month of March. I remember it was around 11:00 am when I arrived at the coliseum with my brother Jorge where the show took place. It wasn’t long before I saw Anoraldo Rendon, one of Fabio’s trainer’s, riding a colt and immediately I told my brother “that colt has to be the one everyone is talking about, that must be Carmin”. I stood at the edge of the stands looking at Anoraldo ride this bay colt who one white front and rear leg, a white star and very small ears. His mane and tail were flowing like the feathers on a peacock. His eyes expressed what every horse lover looks for in a horse, always looking straight ahead with his ears facing forward letting everyone know how proud and regal he was. It seemed he could communicate with heavens and he certainly communicated with me. No other horse, not even Resorte IV, had the look of the eagles like this young colt named Carmin.

At that exact moment I felt my lifetime dream was about to come true for me. We went right then to talk to Don Fabio to discuss terms of his purchase and we paid him what he was asking for Carmin. He told us “you have to buy him now before he competes because after he wins his value will go up three times or more” so we made the agreement. It was a lot of money at that moment for us but he would prove to be worth everything we paid for him and more.

About 3:00 pm this day he competed in the 3 year old colts class and he was absolutely amazing. Everything that I had heard about him didn’t come close to describing what he showed me that day…he was much more that I could ever imagine. He not only won his class on this day but later he won the championship class. This day, when this extraordinary horse named Carmiin came into our lives, was a new beginning for me, my brother Jorge, and my family. This is a horse that is still alive in our hearts today and in the hearts of the many fans of Carmin.

Many people asked me why we purchased Carmin when we had the chance to purchase so many other excellent stallions like Resorte IV, Bochica, Castellano, Plebeyo, Rescate, and even Capuchino at that time. My answer was first of all, because I listened to my heart’s voice and I believe that it will never let us make a mistake if we really listen to it. Second, because of what and who Carmin was, including who his Sire Resorte IV and most of all, his mother La Campanera was. At that time there was not in all of Colombia any other 30 month old colt with Carmin’s characteristics and such brilliant future and Carmin was the first colt offspring of Resorte IV to enter the show ring. Third, his personality! This is something that only the ones that had the good fortune to personally know him and be near him could appreciate. Especially for myself, having spent my entire life surrounded by horses, I found him to be a very special horse from the first moment I met him. This is the only way we can value such wonderful personality such as Carmin’s is through our experience. Fourth, his performance! Carmin had the perfect execution in his gait and he represented the very best of what Colombia expected from the Paso Fino during this time.

He was most certainly the perfect Paso Fino as per our judgment in Colombia at that time. His hindquarters were perfect with an extremely quiet croup and exceptional hocks. His front action was very similar to his father Resorte IV’s front action. The white on his legs was from his grandfather Resorte I, who was born in Fedonia right across from my grandfather’s farm and his color was a beautiful shining reddish bay with dark points. His chest and neck were magnificent and they were even more attractive when ridden. It was like looking at a “beauty queen” in a beauty contest after winning the crown. His ears were very much like Resorte III’s ears, they were as little as the hand’s smallest finger. His mane and tail were very much like Resorte IV’s in appearance. His phenotype in general and his temperament (the best thing he had) was inherited from his mother La Campaner who one of the very best mares in the 60’s and 70’s in Colombia.

The biggest mistake I made in Carmin’s training was to take him away from his first trainer Anoraldo Rendon. Looking back on it now I think that he should have been the one to finish his initial training. I sent the colt to another trainer and he did not connect with him in the same way, so I remedied this big mistake by sending him to Jaime Escudero who finished him and did an excellent job with him. As far as I can remember Jaime never lost a Championship with Carmin as he won every time he took him out to compete. I will never forget also that every time I went to see Carmin, Jaime used to let me ride him just a little bit and it was like going to heaven. I don’t know what was best, to watch him compete or to ride him. Both were exciting.

Part of CARMIN ‘s story was written by “the hands” of the trainer Gabrielito Martinez who got his start in training with Carmin when he was only 17 or 18 years old. Later he went on to become one of the best trainers and exhibitors in a show ring. Originally he was one of Don Fabio’s groomers and worked with the old trainers at his place and he knew Carmin since he was born. He had great faith in Carmin and the horse got better and better and the trainer got better too. Another legend was created through Carmin and this hard working young man.

During those years that we owned Carmin I received many good offers from people wanting to buy him. I remember three times in particular; one from a man that lived in Virginia who really wanted to purchase Carmin in the worst way but I did not sell him. A very special offer came from Don Fabio Ochoa when he wanted to exchange Carmin for his father the great Resorte IV…I did not do it at that time…maybe I would have considered in some other circumstances, but it was certainly an honor to receive this offer from him. The other one that I remember very clearly was one night in Miami talking with friends about horses I received an offer to sell him but I refused this offer also because I could never imagine my life without Carmin at this time.

There is no money in the world that could replace what Carmin had given our family. Carmin was not only the great image of my breeding farm but a member of our family and still today, my son Steven, my daughter Juanita and my fiance Cristina who never met him personally talk about him as if he were still with us.

Don Fabio Ochoa called him “el gran Carmin” and from his books Fabio mentioned this about Carmin “This is an extraordinary stallion bred by my good friend Edgar Jaramillo, “Jaramillito” as all his good friends call him. To talk about how good is Carmin, his beauty, his brio, his gait, his elegance and not even to mention him as a Sire. I have six of his offspring that are extraordinary. I bought him from Edgar when he was 5 months old (still nursing) for $700,000.oo (Colombian Pesos). He knew my desire to have him and I knew how good he would be. After two and a half years I sold him to the Lopez-Builes for $12.000.000.oo (Colombian Pesos); they convinced me with all that money, but I cannot keep them all. He is a son of RESORTE IV and LA CAMPANERA, a daughter of Campanero who was the horse from Merida de Valle from a son of Milo Sarria’s Chucuano Viejo, son of Caribe who was a son of Gaucho out of La Oka. The day I sold Carmin at a show in Medellin, I also bought two of his siblings. Universe, also good but not as good as Carmin and Miss Mundo. In another occasion with Edgar I bought Carmin’s youngest sister, a chestnut that is 20 months old a very good filly but with a big white mark on her face. Carmin is a very fino horse but very temperamental; he should be bred with tame and noble mares. I see in Carmin a “golpe atavico” (like winning the lottery), I see him very Chucuano, the real one from Agustin Barona (R.I.P.) from Trejo Plata in Cerrito (Valle).”

I keep all the greatest memories, all the special moments that I lived with him close to my heart. Like the many nights that I slept in his stall with him and the time at the Manizales show in 1984 when he was given the Grand Champion title only after the judges Raul Estrada and Jose Joaquin Quintero rode him to determine the winner, what a special night that was! Or when I used to arrive to my farm and for any reason I did not stop by to say “hello” to him he used to kick his stall walls without stopping until I went there to pet him, only then would he stop his kicking. I remember the romance he had with a mare named Manuela, every time he saw her you could tell how much he loved her and many times we let them out in the paddock together and they never did anything mean to each other instead they only loved and caressed each other enjoying their time together. He also loved my brother’s girlfriend very much and he would hug her with his neck! It was incredible to see or feel a hug from a horse like Carmin. All of those unforgettable moments that we had with him I still remember. Many times in the afternoon and evenings we used to ride him, 15 people or more, he really and truly enjoyed it. He could be ridden by anyone, a woman, a child or man and he used to enjoy it and he behaved like he was their host.

Without a doubt Carmin was a horse that gained the respect of every trainer he ever had. He was a proud horse and he never accepted being mistreated and the ones that tried it soon knew they had lost. Thanks to trainers like Anoraldo Rendon, Jaime Escudero, Gabriel Martinez, Arcesio Naranjo, Gonzalo Naranjo, Rodrigo Brand and David Zapata, and his manager Mr. John Restrepo Arango CARMIN always enjoyed the respect of these masters like they in return respected his nobility and brio.

We also had few sad moments. We went to the 1986 Mundial in Puerto Rico, heaven and I only know what we went thru there at this show. Many times he did things we just could not understand like swishing his tail in front of the Judge while waiting for the results, immediately he was disqualified. He also had days that he did not want to work at all! We understood him and used to leave him alone until he felt better.

Carmin had the good fortune to have as his sire one of the best sires of all times in the history of Colombian Paso Fino, Resorte IV. And his dam, La Campanera, was one of the best Paso Fino mares in Colombia during her time. Just ask Mr. Jaime Mejia and any others that knew La Campanera about her and you will understand more about what kind of mare she was. Master horseman el gran Nino Piedrahita made La Campanera famous and a champion and at that time everyone used to talk the best things about her.

In January 1987 we brought Carmin to the US from Medellin to Ocala, Florida. We also took him this year to New York and to Canada. By the end of 1987 my life changed as I made the biggest mistake of my life when I made the decision to sell Carmin as part of a package deal with a group of horses. I really don’t know why I ever agreed to this only that the offer was very good. But if there was anything that I could ever go back and do it would be to turn back the time on this moment. I would ask for a new opportunity to have Carmin back in my life again and I would promise not to ever part with him ever again. When I sold him, all my life in the horse world changed forever. Nothing, not even all the money in this world could give me the happiness and pleasure of having this special horse Carmin as part of my life. Carmin was a horse that changed the direction of my life early in my career and set the foundation for much success and I owe so much to him for what he did for me.

I was honored in 1991 when Carmin achieved the status in Colombia of Champion of Champions or Fuera de Concurso where he will grace the journals of Paso Fino history for all time following in the footsteps of his sire Resorte IV and his mother’s sire Campanero who are also Fuera de Concurso.

Here is a list of some of Carmin’s offspring:
La Cortezana: the grandmother of TORMENTO DE LA VIRGINIA, she won many championships herself as well as being considered an excellent producer. And one of La Cortezana’s offspring with Terremoto de Manizales produced Tormenta del Desierto who is the mother of one of Colombia’s most famous stallions and sire today, Tormento de la Virginia. La Carmina del 8 was herself outstanding in the show ring and she has some exceptional offspring. La Lirica de J2C was another champion mare in the USA. Baruna an exciting fino mare now lives in Puerto Rico and is owned by Dr. Roberto Vazquez where she has been producing excellent offspring. Baruna is a full sister to an outstanding son of Carmin, Varon currently standing in Colorado at Hacienda Historica who is producing excellent quality offspring as well. Also in the U.S. you will find Santana’s Comanchero who has been the lead stallion at Pony Creek Ranch in Missouri since the early 1990’s creating a legacy with his offspring and becoming a PFHA top ten sire with less than 40 offspring at the time. Carmina del Juncal has been a prized and respected mare at Jaime and Andres Mejia’s El Juncal Ranch in Florida as well as La Choco another Carmin mare who was recently sold. Marco Polo de Carmin a son of Carmin became “Fuera de Concurso” in 1991. Kay Chiapetta has Melodia de Carmin a top ten mare in the US. Sonrisa de Besilu is owned by Susan Ostertag, an exceptional producing mare. Carmina del Caney is owned by the Besilu Collection and is another exceptional Carmin daughter. Silenciosa de J-dos-C is currently owned by Juan Carlos Conde and producing excellently.

And others to mention would be Melodia de Carmin, Inspiracion de J-dos-C, Decision de J-dos-C, Espuma de J-dos-C, Florida de Carmin, La Visa, Angela de J-dos-C, Diamante La Alqueria, Titina, Carmino de Don Francisco, Campanero de Pastorale, Despedida, Alcatraz de Sociagro, Picante de Keda, El Sid de Carmin, El Juicio, Turco, Ruisenor de Carmin, Marco Polo de Carmin, Porcentaje, Carmina de Carmin, Floresta de J-dos-C, Antioquena J-dos-C, Hechizero de Carmin, Numero Trece J-dos-C, Danesa de J-Dos-C, Caneta de J-dos-C, Lluvia de J-dos-C, El Gran Jurado, Piel Roja de la Laguna, Cuculla de Pasodom, Mata Hari del Cardo, Guarana de Sociagro, Mi Tesoro, Chantal del Paraiso, Dinastia de Besilu, La Compania de Besilu, Sonrisa de Besilu, Shaquira, Carnaval de Carmin PC, La Fantasia de Carmin, Elissa LTD., Mimosa Ltd., Relevante Ltd., La Estampa de ValParaiso, Carmino, Tornado, Universal, Diluvio, Tronador, Vengador, Carmino el Lago, Eden del Amor, Don Nicolas de Mark-El, Piel Morena, Impecable de Carmin, Carnavi de Carmin, Julio Veinte J-dos-C, Sorpresa del Carmin, Venus de Carmin, Evangelico, Cartel de la Ate, El Apolo de Carmin, Fortuna, JR Miss Mundo, Traquetera, La Pauta de Los Naranjos, Hechicera de Carnaval, La Campanita de Santa Rita and El Nino de Briney to name just a few of his offspring mostly registered here in the USA. I know that there are many more and I would like to also include Partitura, the mother of Origen who is the sire of Retorno del Bosque, who has produced very well also. Carmin lives with us today through the blood of his many offspring.

Carmin may very well go down in Paso Fino history for being one of the best sires of broodmares having him self produced over 200 mares of exceptional quality in his breeding career. And many of his offspring have been Champions in the show ring all over the world, mares and colts alike and they are producing many more quality Champions.

In 2004 an amazing thing happened when a colt was born from the frozen semen of Carmin that I gave to a friend many years ago. This is very special since Carmin passed away in 1993 and this frozen semen was all but forgotten by me and this exciting news comes almost eleven years after his death beginning a new era in the story of Carmin.

Now today after spending some time away from the horses that I love so much I am currently rebuilding my herd mostly through the offspring of Carmin. My beloved Carmin lives today in his offspring and their offspring. My wish is that you too have a chance in your life to experience a horse like Carmin.

Sincerely yours,

Carlos Lopez