The business of breed horses seems to be profitable in Cuba. Yet, is it a tradition in the country? When did the auction of horses begin? What’s the final destination of profits?
According to a report from the organizers of the 5th Elite Auction of Jumping Horses,held at the National Equestrian Center in the Lenin Park in Havana, the event was a success and collected a total amount of 500 000 euros.
Some 25 buyers arrived in Cuba from Mexico, Panama, Chile, Angola and Spain to participate in this auction, which was also attended by observers from Italian, Angolan, Chinese, Spanish, French and Hungarian enterprises.
At the event, founded in 2010 and organized once a year, 33 Dutch Warmblood jumping horses were sold. The most expensive horses were: a colt by the name of Edelman, sold for 41 000 euros, and another colt by the name of Fumuto, sold for 40 000 euros. Both animals are thoroughbred and the offspring of horse-riding champions in Europe.
The money collected in this project, sponsored by Flora and Fauna Enterprise, Alcona and Travel Agency Ecotur S.A. commercializing company, will be devoted to the National Genetic Program for Horses, horse therapy and preservation projects.
Last year’s event was attended by 40 people, whereas the first edition was attended by 12 and each animal was sold approximately in 25 000 euros. However, in 2013 some horses were sold for 49 000 euros.
As reported by Prensa Latina news agency, outside the Cuban market, the price of an Olympic horse has risen up to 700 000 euros and Cuba owns the great-grandson of a horse that was valued in 42 million dollars in the US.
The venue for such exotic event, theNational Equestrian Center in the Lenin Park, was inaugurated in 1972. In 2008, it moved under the administration of the Flora and Fauna Protection Enterprise and opened to the world by receiving visits of national and foreign experts as well as of beginners in this field.
The Flora and Fauna Protection Enterprise works for the preservation and sustainable development of resources in 75 natural protected areas –several national parks, Biosphere Reserves, and fauna shelters, among others–, as well as for the maintenance and promotion of genetic values of the 17 breeds present in Cuban equine stockbreeding.
Teaching, trade, tourism and even horse therapy are some of the services offered at the Equestrian Center, where there are beautiful and expensive animals, stables, and a unique rural landscape. There is also a motel with 14 double rooms, a horse-riding supplies shop, a restaurant and a horse-riding school.
The year of the horse according to the Chinese calendar…
Cuba’s weekly economic and financial journal Opciones published an article entitledEquinos, turismo, fórmulacomercialrenovadora, which explains that horse breeding in Cuba dates back to the 16th century when the first specimens were brought by the Spanish colonizers. Some of the descendants of those breeds are nowadays known as Cuban Pinto, Patibarcinos and Criollos de trote.
Today, there are 17 000 horses of 17 breeds in about 40 farms in Cuba in a national attempt to recover the tradition of using horses in different economic sectors so as to boost its trade once and for all.
In Rancho Azucarero, in the western province of Artemisa, for instance, they breed about 200 animals including race horses and mares. This tradition dates back to 1944, when colts used to leave from there to the Oriental Park racetrack in the municipality of Marianao in Havana, until it was shut down in 1967.
This farm has a total of about 362 hectares of land, out of which, 161 hectares are specifically for horses. It also has a curious cemetery where they burry “special” parts of some of those valuable animals that live no longer than 30 years.
According to Edgardo Corrulla, one of the specialists of the Center, they only burry the horses legs (without them there are no horses), heads (representing the expression and the character of the animal when one looks at it), and the hearts, because as athletes that’s where they keep their courage to have good performances.
This province breeds the Dutch Warmblood, which was a success in the last auction, as well as many English thoroughbreds for racing, Belgians, Percherons and some other genetically mixed species.
In 2005, Cuba imported for the first time 23 Dutch Warmblood specimens, including 19 two-year old female colts and four grownups for reproduction, which were born in Holland. The second import of horses was in 2013, and included 54 animals, males and females.
From their blood comes their price…
As stated by the Flora y Fauna magazine, Cuba managed revert the decreasing tendency for horse stockbreeding, thanks to the implementation of right policies in terms of genetic handling, which includes race improvement, breeding, reproduction, preservation and development of national and imported species.
Artificial and natural insemination techniquesare applied in Cuba in varieties like AraAppaloosa, Spanish, Belgian, Percherón, Welsh Pony and Shetland pony.
La Guabina farm in Pinar del Rio province has had excellent results with these techniques and shows a gestation rate above the national average and mainly focuses on the Appaloosa and the Cuban Pinto. The Cuban enterprise El Cangre, in Mayabeque, owns Criollo de trote which are mixed with other species for the sake of grazing; and Rancho Granadino, in the eastern province of Guantanamo, has high breeding rates for Quarter Horses, which were introduced in Cuba by American stockbreeders during the 50´s.
For a decade now, horse breeders in Cuba meet several times a year in Granma province or through the Cuban Society of Horse Friends, which is part of the Cuban Animal Production Association, an NGO with more than 32 000 partners whose mission is to Contribute with their actions, experiences and resources to sustainablehuman, technical and productive development in the field of animal production and industry.
As to the tourist sector, the country proposes a package tagged by the specialized press as Cuba a caballo (Cuba on horseback). The offer includes tourist rides on horseback in several Cuban provinces like Sancti Spiritus or Camaguey.
The Rancho La Guabina-Mil Cumbres way, across the spectacular landscapes of Pinar del Rio, is one of the favorite options. It is a tour of about 95 kilometers which lasts five days, with breaks in specific points carefully selected for its landscape and conditions.
