The Azteca is the National Horse of Mexico and is the first breed to
be developed in Mexico. Until recently the majority of horses in Mexico were descendants
of
Spanish horses,
such as the Galiceño, or imports from Spain or Portugal. The Spanish horse has always
been favored in Mexico and the Andalusian was the foundation of the new breed.
Breeding the Azteca began in 1972 by crossing the Andalusian and American Quarter
Horse, and some crosses were made between Andalusian stallions and Criollo mares. Early
on, some of the leading breeders realized that systematic, scientific breeding was
necessary and that the whole process would require a demanding inspection system. Allowing
individual breeders to operate completely on their own produced such a variety of types of
offspring that there were an insufficient number of common denominators on which to base a
new horse breed.
Several considerations were foremost in the minds of the Mexican breeders when they
were forming their ideal type of horse they were to call "Azteca." The horse
needed to meet the needs of the charro (Mexican gentleman cowboy) who performed intricate
reining moves as well as work well with cattle and other horses. The horse should follow
in the tradition of the horses brought over by the Spanish Conquistadors to Mexico and
should be unique and clearly identifiable as "The National Horse of Mexico."
Individual ranchers in Mexico and the Azteca Horse Research Center located at Lake
Texcoco developed the phenotype of today through extensive scientific research. The
overall approach was designed to produce a horse with excellent physical performance
abilities including balance, good lateral movement, speed, agility endurance and power,
intelligence and the desire to work with humans. It was to have an attractive overall
appearance similar to some selected descendants of the horses of the Conquistadors,
courage, "flash" and heart.
The first Azteca, a stallion named "Casarejo", was born in 1972 at the Centro
de
Reproduccion Caballar Domecq at Texcoco, Mexico. He was
the result of a cross between the Spanish stallion, "Ocultado" and the Quarter
Horse mare, "Americana". Since then, the breed has developed by a careful
combination of carefully controlled breeding, a rigorous inspection system and ongoing
scientific research on all aspects of Azteca breeding and standards. Performance,
conformation, temperament and appearance criteria were evaluated by comparing the
offspring of various crosses including different foundation breeds as sires and dams and
various bloodlines. Each of the combinations possible from the breeding of sires and dams
from the three contributing breeds (Andalusian/Lusitano, Quarter Horse, and Mexican
Criollo) plus the multiple generations of Azteca Horses had to be evaluated by tracing the
development of the offspring into adulthood. Bloodlines may be crossed back and forth in
many combinations, as long as the resulting offspring are always six-eighths or less of
any one breed. The purpose of producing this breed is to combine the qualities of the
Andalusian with those of the Quarter Horse, which was also founded on Spanish blood. There
has always been interplay between the expectations for the horse and the actual results of
the breeding program. The ideal phenotype evolved through a careful blending of genetics,
biomechanics, aesthetics and equine social psychology.
El caballo Azteca--the Azteca horse-- was developed in Mexico through the combined
efforts of Casa Pedro Domecq (particularly Antonio Ariza Cañadilla), Centro de
Reproduccion Caballar Domecq, Asociacion Mexicana de Criadores de Caballos de Raza Azteca,
and La Secretaria de Agricultura y Recursos Hidraulicos. These organizations have been
responsible in Mexico and, until recently, in the rest of the world for maintaining breed
standards and the course of the future development of the breed.
In November 1992, in Texcoco, Mexico, the International Azteca Horse Association was
created to further the development of the breed on a worldwide basis. At the same time,
regional affiliates were developed. For Canada, it is the Azteca Horse Association of
Canada (AzHAC) and for the United States, it is the Azteca Horse Association of the United
States (AzHAUS).
The worldwide Registry for Azteca horses is maintained by the Asociacion Mexicana de
Criadores de Caballos de Raza Azteca (The Azteca Horse Association of Mexico) for The
International Azteca Horse Association. This is the only organization approved by the
developers of the breed and by the Government of Mexico to register Azteca horses and to
legally use the name "Azteca". Currently, there are about a thousand (1000)
Azteca horses listed with the International Azteca Horse Association, including horses
residing in such places as Mexico, Central and South America, United States, Canada, and
Spain.
The Azteca horse was developed in Mexico in 1972 by combining the best traits of
Andalusian, Quarter Horse, and Criollo bloodlines. A phenotype was created and all Azteca
horses must conform sufficiently to the phenotype. Azteca horses must not have more than
three-quarters of the blood of any one of the three foundation breeds.
The Azteca is an attractive warmblood horse, found in all horse colors, only solid
colors are permitted. The head is lean, elegant and aristocratic with a
straight or convex profile, expressive and intelligent
eyes and small, pricked ears. The neck is well muscled and slightly arched. The withers
are high; the back is fairly short and straight; the croup is broad and well rounded; the
chest is deep and broad and the shoulders long and sloping. The legs are well muscled and
the feet are hard and well proportioned. The main and tail are long and flowing with a
medium low tail set. The male Azteca stands between 15 to 16.1 hands while the mare stands
between 14.3 to 16 hands.
The Azteca is a very versatile high performance horse. It excels at activities that
require intelligence, spirit, agility, power, strength, elegance and style. The Azteca is
accomplished at Classical riding (alta escuela, haute ecole, high school), doma vaquera,
la garrocha, dressage, bull fighting (rejoneo), reining, cutting, team penning, cattle
roping, polo and pleasure riding.
In November 1992, in Texcoco, Mexico, the International Azteca Horse Association
was created to further the development of the Azteca horse breed on a worldwide basis. At
the same time, regional affiliates were developed.
The worldwide Registry for Azteca horses is maintained by the Asociacion Mexicana de
Criadores de Caballos de Raza Azteca (The Azteca Horse Association of Mexico) for The
International Azteca Horse Association. This is the only organization approved by the
developers of the breed and by the Government of Mexico to register Azteca horses and to
legally use the name "Azteca."
For More Information, Contact:
Azteca Horse Association of Canada
R. R. 2
Paris, Ontario
Canada, N3L 3E2
Tel 519-458-4410
Fax 519-458-8242
E-Mail:azcc@sympatico.ca
Web Site: www3.sympatico.ca/azhac/Azhmain.html
Azteca Horse Association of the United States
2613 Camino de Verdad
Mercedes, TX 78570
Asociacion International de Caballos de Raza Azteca
Av. Mexico 101
Col. De Carmen
Cayoacan
C. P. 042100
Mexico D. F.
Information supplied by the
Azteca Horse Association of Canada.