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Canada (by Jean Llewellyn) Choosing to spend summer on the competition circuit in North America and Canada, and the winter months at the family home in the Dominican Republic may sound idyllic, until you consider the sheer logistics and expenses of transporting horses between this Caribbean paradise and the mainland.
But this is the choice of Eduardo and Yvonne Muniz. Spanish by birth, Eduardo’s family now lives and runs a business (importing construction materials) in the Dominican Republic. But, this couple knows that in order to make a horse’s reputation, you must be prepared to travel and compete successfully. Fortunately, their interests are compementary. While Eduardo wears the breeders hat, his wife Yvonne is competing and showing their stallions in both showjumping and dressage.
They are also unusual in another way. Unlike most breeding enterprises that focus on one particular speciality, their Las Marismas stud farm is bi-partisan: Dutch Warmbloods and pure-bred Spanish Andalusians. It, therefore, seems appropriate, with the rapidly approaching World Equestrian Games in Spain, that BN should begin to offer an insight into that country’s horses and breeding - albeit through the eyes of an expatriate.
Q Tell me about the operation of Las Mirasmas.
EM: It’s a breeding and competition stable, where we breed both Spanish horses, Andalusians, and also Dutch Warmbloods, mostly for jumping purposes. Besides that, Yvonne and other riders from our place show in both jumping and dressage.
Q What size enterprise is it?
YM: We have about 40 horses at the breeding facility in Canada, and around 30 horses down south, plus all the Andalusian breeding mares because they must be covered directly. I ride and show the stallions
Q How are these numbers divided between mares and stallions?
EM: Andalusian we have three stallions and eight broodmares, whom we imported from Spain, from Jerez. Then, we have 11 Dutch broodmares.
Q Most people focus on one speciality when they breed, sport horses, so why did you choose both Spanish and Dutch horses?
EM: Well the Andalusians all came from Spain, from my parents’ homeland, and I think it’s a very good breed, but it hasn’t been very well managed from a breeding standpoint. Their breeding policies are so primitive that they consider virtually any stallion is good for breeding. They just look at a horse for his height, the measurement of its cannon bone, and if it seems okay, that’s fine. They don’t do any preparation at all. This Spanish breed has more breeding stallions than any other breed in the world. So, I figured we should be a lot more selective in our breeding programme, because they are fantastic horses.
YM: They’re really beautiful to ride. When you get a good one, I like riding them almost better than a warmblood.
Q You’re using the Andalusians specifically for dressage?
YM: Yes, the Spanish horses for dressage, and the Dutch for jumping, although I actually have two of the latter, a Dutch mare and a Dutch Cocktail stallion, in dressage right now. But the Andalusians are so easy and nice, almost perfect for me. You don’t even break into a sweat when you’re riding them.
EM: Plus the talent they have for higher level dressage work is unbelievable.
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