Hacienda Don Carmelo

Hacienda Don Carmelo lies across 20 acres of rolling hills overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. We are horse breeders and trainers, home of Escuela Puertorriqueña del Arte Ecuestre. Hacienda Don Carmelo was founded by the late Don Carmelo Figueroa Rodriguez and his wife Sara Padilla, fifty two years ago. For the last 37 years their daughter, Melba Figueroa, has been in charge of the Hacienda. The farm

was previously dedicated to raising cattle , but the only existing structure from its origin is water through that now serves as a flower planter under the tree house. The main stable and quarantine facility were built by Don Carmelo in the eighties. Adjacent stables, round pens, water wells, and covered arena have been built through the years. Tree planting has produced a lush flora that houses exotic tropical birds and provides shade to the interior roads. Don Carmelo Figueroa was a true horseman. As a young man in his native town, Naranjito, he courted his beautiful girlfriend Sara, riding kilometers on his favorite horses to visit her. They married in 1954 and ten years later decided to start breeding Paso Fino horses as a hobby for their newly formed family, for which they bought a broodmare lot and the stallion Papyrus, (Batallita x Mejorana). Don Carmelo bred many horses, the most famous being Linda Morena, the first World Champion of the island and the c**t that that was presented by the People of Puerto Rico to the King and the Queen of Spain during their first visit to Puerto Rico, to commemorate the 500th. Anniversary of the Discovery of Puerto Rico. Don Carmelo bought a couple of broodmares that had been imported to Puerto Rico from Colombia by Don Pedro Ochoa and a stallion, Platino, (Pistolero x Susana). Melba has been breeding Hacienda Don Carmelo’s broodmares to the best Paso Fino Stallions. She also breeds trote y galope horses, Pura Raza Espanola and Arabians. Breeding horses is a Figueroa family tradition and an essential element of the Puerto Rican Culture. Their horses have been recognized through the years as recipients of top awards at local and international competitions.