COLUMBIA, S.C. — A State Fair classic has returned,
“These are pure Puerto Rican Paso Finos,” said Cathy Tack with the Pure Puerto Rican Paso Fino Federation of America.
Tack said this horse show is an annual “The Classic Celebration Show” exhibit.
“They are a breed of horse from the island of Puerto Rico. They have a limited gene pool,” Tack said.
These horses are different than other show horses trotting across the grounds.
“Their gate is called a 4-beat lateral gate, which means they have 3 feet on the ground at all times. They make a distinct sound when they go on the sounding board, taka taka taka," Tack said. "What separates them is their smooth ride. If you see the riders on these horses, they don’t bounce, they just there, it's like sitting in it like a chair. There’s only possibly 250 registered in the United States. They are getting to be rarer, there are other types of Paso Fino's mixed with them to create the American Paso Fino but even on the island they do mixing."
The event brought Jane Clyburn and members from her church in Camden to see the show.
“I have never seen a Paso Fino, and I was very much looking forward to seeing them," Clyburn said. "As a child, I used to show horses but not these. I had never seen these perform, and I was excited to see them.”
There will be different equine shows through October 21 at the South Carolina State Fair.