Interview with Nicolás López
September 19, 2005
Nicolás López, is the founder and owner of El Criadero El Zipa, located in the city of la Tebaida state of Quindío. Nicolás has founded this farm with a lot of effort, and although it is a small breeding farm in terms of number of horses, it is known for its great quality. Nicolás is a well known Veterinary that has worked with Fabio Ochoa in La Margarita del 8, and with Juan David Ochoa in el Criadero La Vitrina. The farm has the name of the famous horse El Zipa (Rescate X Pijaraña), beautiful brown color horse with excellent results in competition, winning some great championships. El Zipa is the father of the famous mare La Teoría, mother of the deceased World Champion Vitral, and other great horses.
When was the breeding farm El Zipa founded?
In 1988 when I bought the horse el Zipa (Rescate X Pijaraña), I bought him to el Criadero Santa Rita of Urrea Sucesores. The price was $5 million pesos, distributed in $500,000 pesos monthly payments, this payments were cancelled with Veterinary work.
With which horses did you begin the farm?
With el Zipa, and 5 marinas* mares.
*These are mares that came from the famous horse Marino.
Which breeder do you admire the most and why?
The breeding farm of Urrea Sucesores. They are people that have persisted for 50 years with a lot of effort crossing great mares that their father left them with the best horses of each time always being very selective with the stallions they use.
Which horse would you like it to be yours?
Extasis (Clásico de Plebeyo X María Pinches- Contrapunto II), he is an inbreeding of Contrapunto F. C (Pistolero X Ligia II- Marino) and has Plebeyo (Chucuano X Pandereta) in his bloodlines. These two horses were very important. They had a natural fino and were not habilitated they were part of the Colombian lines that went to the USA. I think Extasis is a fino, natural horse.
What mare, for breeding purposes would you choose?
The filly out of Dulce Sueño (Zodiaco de Lusitania X Dulce María – Capitán de la Vitrina F.C), that won the 32-38 months competition in the Nationals at Pereira, her name is Dulce Miel (Dulce Sueño de Lusitana X Alabanza II del 8). Also some fillies out of Extasis.
What condition do you have in consideration when you are going to pick a stallion for your mares?
Phenotype, brío, naturalness, that he begins a competition and finishes better. That he can maintain through the competition natural, without help from its rider or drugs.
What type of horse do you reject from your farm and why?
Horses with physical defects, horses with footstep problems, teeth problems, mares that do not get pregnant easily, that do not give milk to the colt, testicular problems in the stallions.
Do you think a good breeder should be a good rider?
Of course, they have to be able to distinguish a habilitated horse from a natural one.
What USA’s horse do you like?
Imponente de la Libertad (Vitral X Clasiquita- Clásico de Plebeyo). I hope that he gets in gait.
Which do you consider are your greatest achievements as a Paso Fino breeder?
Having at the present 4 fillies out of Extasis.
What is what you like the most about the Paso horses competitions?
The way they are judged, with 3 judges, being unable to communicate, this helps to eliminate the influence of a judge on the other two, and helps prevent regionalism.
Which dead horse would you bring to life and why?
Vitral. A horse that won the World Championship, fulfilling all the expectations, defeating Hussein (Terremoto de Manizales X Finura del 8-Rescate). He left important offspring like the World Reserved Champion Mare Pecadora de Yerbabuena (Vitral X Paradoja de Yerbabuena – Patrimonio de Yolival) and Imponente, I consider him (Imponente) as the second most important stallion in the world. If he still was alive he would be having great offspring.
Which stallion has not fulfill your expectations?
Tormento de la Virginia (Patrimonio del 8 X Tormenta del Desierto- Terremoto de Manizales). His sons and daughters should be winning to Dulce Sueño´s ones knowing that Tormento is a better horse in competition. In the present you can see the colts and fillies better in the 32-38 competition. This is because of the brio given by the false (rienda), in the competitions that follow this one, they do not look as well. I think this specific competition is making us to lose a lot of good horses.
Which horse has surprised you?
Dulce Sueño de Lusitania, when I knew him he was out of gait, but he has becoming better. I regret not crossing him with one of my mares, when I had the chance.
What did El Zipa mean in your breeding farm?
Having a base of mares, he was the link from getting from the elementary to high school with horses, and then being at this moment in the university.
Do you prefer to buy or breed horses?
Breed. But at first I had to buy. If I could afford to buy mares I would. Now the Extasis fillies are going to be the base of the farm. They are going to be crossed with good horses. And I assure you, there will be a great production by crossing them with stallions with the lines of Terremoto de Manizales, Amadeus, Patrimonio and Resorte III. I plan to stay with the fillies but it is going to be difficult.
To a foreigner which Colombian competition would you recommend and why?
Any of the two Medellín shows. Because of their quality, the best horses go to these competitions.
Which Colombian region is the leader in Paso Horse breeding?
Medellín, in this region is the best quality, the horses of this region always get the best positions in competitions. They have very good horses in diagonals, horses like Mensaje de San Esteban (Tango de la Perla), Maracanazo (Electrón de los Naranjos), Cacique Caramanta (Cacique Calarcá). And the Quindio region because of the Urrea, they represent very well the region with Extasis. I am faithful to this horse, seeing this horse in competition excites me.
Who is going to be the next Paso Fino World Champion in Puerto Rico?
Bribón, he is winning a lot, Extasis; also I think Pedregal and Imponente if he gets in gait. Maybe Tormento.
A competition that you have in your mind that you remember the most?
The Third Paso Fino Cup in Armenia, I was the technical director of the competition. It was a competition between Cosmos (Resorte IV F.C X Sensación – Rejonero), Capuchino (Resorte IV F.C X Capuchina II – Anfitrión), Nevado (Resorte IV F.C X Zarina – Pistolero), El Astro del 8 (Resorte IV FC ? Perfume? X Orizaba), Carmín (Resorte IV F.C X Campanera – Campanero) and Jr Símbolo (Resorte IV F.C X J.R Joya).
This competition was won by El Astro del 8, and Nevado got sixth place.
Interview by: Sebastián Correa Asmar.
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