Nelson Primus – Hecho a la Vida del Paso Fino

PPF: Nelson, thank you very much for accepting this interview today with Perfiles del Paso Fino.
NP: Thank you very much Maritza for inviting me and having me with you.
PPF: Thank you.

PPF: Let’s start by talking a bit about your history. How did your work begin? Do you come from a family of horsemen? Did you start in Chile? Did you start in the United States? Tell me a little about your past.
NP: You know, I do not come from a family of horsemen, but, nonetheless, I have had a passion for horses throughout all of my life. I remember that as a child I used to visit relatives out in the country, and I used to dream of the moment that my vacation would start so that I could run and find the first horse to hug. You wouldn’t imagine what it meant to me to take in the smell of a horse. I mean, simply putting my nose on one. I can see myself at 5 years of age hugging a horse and sensing its smell. I mean, it meant so much to me. I don’t even know where that passion for horses was born, but I’ve had it since I was a child. When I was a boy, all I wanted was horses, horses, horses.

PPF: So, at what point did you begin to work with them?
NP: Well, later in life I moved to this country and had nothing to do with horses. At a point in time, I met a lawyer who had horses and when he showed them to me, I thought it was so strange how they moved. They walked so pretty and so differently. I remember when I asked him what type of horse it was and he said, ‘this is a Paso Fino horse.’ That was the first time I ever heard the term Paso Fino. I am talking about some 35 years ago, maybe more; 37, because it was in 1985. Ever since that day, I have dealt with horses every single day. He invited me to his farm, and I kept visiting. And here we are – a Chilean man inside an environment that is completely different to mine, to the horses I knew, but in love and passionate about what I do and about horses. Absolutely.

PPF: And despite that, there have been grandiose horses at this farm. Many important horses have come to your hands. More or less some 20-21 years ago, you and I were in this very scenario for a written interview, and you told me about that time. Now tell me about that moment… Capitán de la Vitrina, Tormento de la Virginia. Talk to me about all those horses that have come through here.
NP: What can I tell you, Maritza? I have been unbelievably fortunate, truly, for people to have believed in me and wanted me to… For example, I remember when Capitán was handed over to me. I met Capitán once in Colombia and I was so astonished with that horse and I remember thinking ‘my God, what would it mean to ride a horse like that?’ And I never imagined that some time later, I was going to have him in my farm and that I would be able to ride him and even compete him. I mean, I have also been unbelievably fortunate in that aspect; for people to have come to believe in me and in what I could do and in what that could mean for me to manage that type of horse. After that, other horses started coming to me. There have been many, honestly, and I have been fortunate enough to have many horses in my care, many important horses who helped me make a name for myself and gain the trust of the people. Tormento de la Virginia was managed by me for over 10 years. Imagine that! A horse with so many titles and so much recognition, possibly one of the most recognized in the Paso Fino horse world. Him having been in my hands was extremely significant for me and gave me great opportunities that I was able to put to good use. After that, my farm has been the host to all the horses that come through this country. Really, I don’t remember any important horses coming to this country that I haven’t had spend at least a couple of days in my home. Many have come here. Valparaiso Farms has good history. The most important horses in the Paso Fino horse world have come through here.

PPF: And that is precisely my next question. What do you think makes Valparaiso the point of arrival for so many renowned horses and riders?
NP: Truthfully, it all boils down to the trust people can have in you. There is a saying in Spanish that says, ‘create your fame and lay down to sleep’ and that works both ways. So, when you do things correctly and when you are serious in what you do, then people are able to trust you with what they love the most, their horses -which for many, their horses are their everything. They can trust you and tell others ‘send your horse to Nelson, you won’t have any trouble there’ or ‘send them to Nelson, he will take them in for you’. It’s all about building a trajectory where you are responsible with everything you do. Not only do I feel honored for people to have that kind of trust in me, but also to have been able to become the bridge for many riders to cross over. So many riders have come through here who haven’t even worked with me, but I have been their landing pad where they have stopped before taking their next leap. So that is something very nice for me. Running into people who feel thankful to me is a divine feeling, to be honest. It’s very nice.

PPF: Of course, it is. Now talk to me about your home-grown horses because you have also had champions here that were made at Valparaiso.
NP: Yes, I have had the fortune also to breed some horses that have helped me to hold my own in the industry. I mean, being able to, actually, I think I must be the oldest facility that still exists here today. I’m referring to operating from the same homebase, having never moved from this location. Those horses have allowed me to support myself and to keep involved. I currently have a very important horse, Antares de Valparaiso, who I have been able to breed to some mares and have been getting some great offspring from. I am happy with the results from his breeding.
PPF: Talk to me about his last title in Puerto Rico…
NP: That horse has really given me so much satisfaction! First of all, he is the son of a horse that I love, Tormento de la Virginia. When we competed him at 3 years of age, he was ridden by Daniel Davila at the time, we won the first competitions where he participated. Then we took him to Nationals, and he was titled Reserve Grand National Champion in the 3-year-old colts class. Then I took him and competed him myself in the 4-year-old colts class and won the 4^th grand national champion title in that division. Then, I took him to Ponce, Puerto Rico! I was fortunate enough to have him win his division there. He was ridden by Jun, a marvelous rider, from the Arias. He made an impeccable presentation and won that competition beautifully. Honestly, I was extremely happy to see him win that competition on those showgrounds. I also showed him myself at a few competitions in Ocala and did very well with him as well, getting first and second prizes. The last time I rode him myself was in June of last year in Miami, he was title champion as well. So, he has given me so much happiness. I enjoy him to death when I ride him because he is so special. And that’s where we are now, we’re ready to start training two of his offspring.
PPF: If I’m not mistaken, at the Last Chance Show in Miami there was a gray son of his who won too.
NP: Yes, that’s correct! That is another very important horse I have, and he won there with Julito Lorenzo. That’s Imperio de Valparaiso. He had a spectacular presentation, and he was also champion in the amateur owner division, ridden by his wife.
PPF: There is another baby of the house, Delirio.
NP: Oh, Delirio, that is the biggest baby of all! What can I tell you? Delirio has a long story, I don’t think we have the time for me to tell you how much Delirio has meant to me. I am definitely in the market and in this business because of him. If it hadn’t been for all I was able to do with him in the first few years, despite never having had the pleasure of showing him in the showring because he was a bit complicated… He gave great offspring and so I was able to sell many breedings to him and was able to support myself for a good 2 or 3 years exclusively from the earnings I got from him, either from selling his offspring or his breedings. Without a doubt, he is my insignia here.

PPF: What has been your biggest challenge in the industry?
NP: Honestly, I think that the biggest challenge is to be able to survive in this industry. It isn’t an easy task, and you have to understand the complexity of all the parts that it’s composed of. I have reached my goals. I wanted to show champion horses, and I have shown champion horses in all the divisions, in fino, performance, pleasure. I have done extremely well with the kids’ classes too. After that, I could say a big challenge I had was to start working with the association and to grow as a director. Also, being a part of one of the most important shows that we offered here, Spectrum. It was a spectacular show. I was vice-president at the time and Sergio Garcia was president. And now much later, I have started working with this new association, IPHA – International Paso Horse Association, where we are working hard to succeed with this project. As a challenge I could say is to bring every aspect together to form a product that works for everyone.

PPF: Nelson, tell me who your greatest teachers have been.
NP: Wow, every day I had teachers, really. In the end, it’s yourself because you should have your own way and your own style for each horse. But definitely, there were tremendous teachers. I remember when I first started, there was David Castro, who I think has been a teacher for all of us. And from then on, there have been many. I mean, this industry is filled with incredible professional riders like Jorge Suarez, Jaime Suarez… others like Jimmy Espino and now Jonathan, another phenomenal rider. You can always learn something from all of them, to say the truth, and you should always try to find the point at which you can possibly become better using their methods. They won’t always work, honestly, but they are always a tremendous resource because of how successful they are. Oh, wait, excuse me! Before all of them, I had someone else. Well, first it was David, but then I had a great, great teacher, and that was Jaime Escudero. I definitely have to mention Jaime Escudero. He must be the one I bothered the most. I tired him out! He would run away from me every time he saw me!
PPF: No! He is the happiest for people to ask him questions. He loves to share.
NP: Of course! Besides, he is a man with tremendous knowledge. But yes, he is one of the people I listened to the most about how to work horses. Additionally, he taught me many other things because he was multitalented, he did all sorts of things. He could put together a show, he could teach children, he could train horses… he did many, many things. I learned many things from Jaime Escudero. I owe him a lot.

PPF: At this point in your career, what has been your greatest sense of pride?
NP: At this point in my career… Do you really want me to tell you what is my greatest sense of pride? Having traveled to so many parts of the world, having visited so many places and always being welcome everywhere I go. That is my greatest sense of pride. To say that I am going to Colombia, and I know I will be welcomed with open arms in so many places. If I go to Santo Domingo, it’s the same thing, just like in Puerto Rico and anywhere else I go. It makes me very proud to have created this person who is welcome everywhere.

PPF: What does Nelson Primus actually do at a horse competition? We see you participate at horse shows in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, in Colombia, anywhere… and everywhere, you are always active. What is Nelson Primus doing?
NP: Doing what I love the most! Being with horses.
PPF: Talking!
NP: Talking and being around horses and learning. Learning everything. Learning how a spectacular event is put together. Learning from the trainers. Learning from the way horses are treated. Learning everything, definitely. My passion right now is being able to travel and take pleasure in all that I do. And seeing horses as I go along is the best. What better place could I be than with horses?

PPF: I agree. So then now, let’s talk about your dedication with IPHA, International Paso Horse Association. There has been one competitive show. We are now nearing the next show. There is a lot of expectation and excitement. Tell us about your participation and dedication to that project.
NP: That one is slightly larger. It demands tremendous dedication because it is attempting to get people to understand a concept that isn’t new overall, but that is new here, and that truly works for us. This project we have with the International Paso Horse Association, is focused first and foremost on the horse. It involves taking the horse to another level and allowing another opportunity to all the riders to be able to show the horse in a different manner and in an international manner. Why is that? We here, as an association, have a method of judging horses and we have judges that work based on the parameters determined by the Paso Fino Horse Association. But when we compete at a worldwide level, our participants are oblivious. Perhaps not for the professional trainers, but it is a new world for amateurs who want to compete their horses and for others who are present at an event that is judged in a completely different way and where any error made will be punished categorically. This isn’t to say that mistakes don’t have consequences here, but the judging system is completely different from the international judging system. So, how does this entity come to play? We [IPHA], aside from creating jobs for thousands of people, – because if you think about it, not only do the trainers work, but there are also farriers, veterinarians, those who put together the show ring, there are so many people involved in this project – this event provides a new way of promoting the horse and to help the entire industry. That is what we are attempting to do; to take the horse above and beyond by showcasing it in a different way for the world to see. What would happen to someone like me if I were a breeder and my trainer and I always compete here in the United States, but the world championship comes?  Almost all of us would like to participate in a world competition, especially if we have a good horse. When we arrive at the world championship, we realize that our horse or our trainer are not used to doing this or that or the other. If we look at it that way, we are giving everybody a better perspective of how a competition is handled at the international level. So, I think that is very positive. Actually, we held our first show as a trial. Perhaps we thought ‘let’s see how it goes’, at our previous show in June, we decided to start and see how it would go. It was a project designed specifically to help the people. We do not get anything. Financially, none of us earn anything at all. We all simply contribute to the project. It is a project dedicated exclusively to the industry and the horse. When we held our first show, it was a success because everybody loved it. Everybody started to ask us when the next show would be, but we didn’t even have a date. Everyone kept asking when we would hold another show. So, that’s when we decided to have a new show this coming 11^th, 12^th, and 13^th of November.

PPF: For the owners, the amateur riders, well, lately, and for a few years, we have noticed the reduction in participation and membership, etc. But right now, there is a slight growth. It has been noticeable for a few months. For those newcomers who are daring to go into the showring with their horses, in what way is the judging system you are offering going to benefit them.
NP: It is very clear that sometimes this is difficult for those who are beginning to compete because it possibly will touch people’s feelings when they have a horse and believe it is of good quality and then come to one of these shows for the first time and realize that they are being judged more severely. Without a doubt, the method of judgment here is way stricter than the judgment we have here with the PFHA. So, in one way, our show would be seen more positively, but in another way, it may not be what certain people have in mind. But if there is one thing that we are absolutely clear on, it’s that if we are judging a Paso Fino class, we must be judging complete Paso Fino during the entire competition. And that is something we really like to emphasize. And even more so than that, more so than that, the most important aspect of our shows, keeping in mind that our national association is very good also, is the explanation of the judgments. At the time of being awarded or eliminated in a competition, there will be someone to tell you why you were excused, what were the reasons for excusing you, or why you won and what makes you deserving of that award. So, we believe that teaching everyone, especially those who are new, is extremely positive. Our main objective for this style of judgment is for it to be a learning opportunity. When you go to a competition, you should understand what you did well, what you did wrong, and how you can do better. For example, if you finish a competition where you were excused, you may ask yourself why you were excused or what you did. You will never be able to improve yourself if you don’t know or understand what went wrong. Thus, our biggest emphasis is to be able to teach people so that they learn and understand, especially with the amateur riders and with the children. Truthfully, children need to understand that they can’t always have a blue ribbon for just having been on top of a horse. That doesn’t happen in any sport. In every sport, you must be better than everyone else in order to win. So, it is very important for children to understand when they compete and don’t get an award, it is because they did not earn it. Here, they will get an explanation of the reasons they did or didn’t do well, and they will go forward having learned something new. That is extremely important.

PPF: Talk to me a little about the selection of judges. What procedure or criteria do you follow in choosing the judges who come to IPHA?
NP: First and foremost, their knowledge. Secondly, we make sure that they will leave an incredible impression in the job that they do. How can I be sure that will happen? These are judges that have worked in 2, 3, or more world competitions in their lifetime, so they are judges with amazing experience who will at the very least leave a good feeling regarding their judgments. For example, I can tell you that at our previous show, many people were excused for having been out of gait in the class. Nonetheless, they felt very pleased to have had an explanation for their results. Again, an explanation is fundamental after you have competed so that you can improve yourself and continue to compete. This is a competition; this is not an exhibition. This is a competition where people win first, second, and third in that order because they are better or because they showed better, or for whatever reason the judge is going to give, but not because it was simply gifted to them.
PPF: So, you mean the judges not only have a certain level of knowledge, but also a certain level of ability in communicating in a constructive manner. Isn’t that right? So that when a person comes out rewarded or excused, he or she may understand their qualities and can compare themselves to those who surpassed them in the marker, as they say, but not in a way where they feel their mistakes are being criticized.
NP: That’s correct. But, for example, there are times when it is important to highlight the flaws because if they are not made noticeable, then nobody will realize they were a mistake. The ideal is really to have a judge who can clearly explain why you won, but also why you lost. Now, for the classes of amateur riders and children, we have a judge who is extraordinary in letting the competitors know every single detail that kept them from being placed or that got them into the placement they received. It isn’t as a form of criticism, but so that always it can be a teaching opportunity.
PPF: That’s great.

PPF: Okay, Nelson, please tell me who the most influential people in your career have been?
NP: The most influential people in my career? There have been so many, I wouldn’t have enough time to name everyone. I always watched different people to be able to follow in this industry and they have been of great influence. But really there are so many that I couldn’t name each one of them. Without a doubt, my beginnings were with Jaime Escudero, I got so much help from David Castro, and everything just stemmed from there. I always kept the conscience of continuing to learn from everything in the horse environment.

PPF: In your day to day, what is the most important aspect of your work?
NP: In my day to day, the most important aspect is definitely the care of my horses. That is the most important, the principal aspect. But when times come like the one I am in now, when I am planning an event, I dedicate myself in mind, body, and soul so that everything works out well. I am looking out for all the details of the show and am conscientious of all the things I must do and of all that I must not do because that is very important as well. Every detail is extremely significant for me because when the show day comes, if things don’t work out like I planned them, I am definitely going to feel 100% responsible for everything.

PPF: What do you like the most about horses?
NP: What do I like the most? Everything. There isn’t one thing I don’t like about horses. Absolutely everything. My life is horses. During the 35 years I have been in this industry, I don’t know another lifestyle. Each of my days has been about horses.
PPF: At the start of this interview, you told us about the beginning of these 35 years, how you couldn’t wait to smell a horse. Do you still take the time each day to smell a horse?
NP: Listen, I don’t think I take the time anymore. I would like to be able to do it, but I do take the time to make sure that everything is alright. I make sure that they have eaten, that they are never lacking feed or fresh water, that they are clean. That is my day-to-day life.

PPF: What word represents your horseman life the most?
NP: A word that represents me the most as a horseman… Host.
PPF: Yes, what a great word. Absolutely.
NP: Host… for the big guns, for those who arrive with renowned horses, for those who come seeking work, for those who don’t have a place to sleep tonight… that is the word that defines me best.

PPF: Nelson, what do you want people to know or remember the most about you?
NP: I am not too concerned with what people could remember after I am gone. Honestly, that doesn’t matter to me much. I would like for everyone to know that all I do is exclusively for the industry and for the horse. Always.
PPF: Alright.

PPF: Nelson, thank you very much for allowing us to get to know you better.
NP: Thanks so much to you for giving me the opportunity to be known by those who didn’t know me.