Jésus Naranjo: “The P.R.E. horse is a royal horse, worthy of a crown”

The saga of interviews continues at USPRE, focusing today on a US breeder: Jesús Naranjo from Rancho Los Naranjos. Since his beginnings as a breeder, Jesús has witnessed a clear evolution in Spanish horse breeding, particularly noticing a significant market trend in the United States. Jesús only has words of praise for the Spanish horse, emphasizing its nobility, temperament, majesty, and beauty.

How did you get started in the horse world and with the P.R.E.?
The horse business has always been something that passionate me. I rode horses since I was a child, but life took me on a different path for many years, leading me into the automobile business. However, thanks to those cars, I was able to buy my first PRE horse as an adult in 2006, and from then on, for me, there's nothing better than the PRE.

What do you like most about the morphology competition?
The energy that the PRE horse possesses, how it moves with great confidence and elegance, demanding respect from everyone observing. That, combined with the breed exhibited by the animals, as well as seeing the different styles each handler has when showcasing their horses, all of that is very interesting to me.

How would you define the P.R.E. horse?
Well, I've already mentioned some of this, but in my eyes, the P.R.E. horse is a royal horse, worthy of a crown—the horse of kings, elegance, fire, strength!

What makes the P.R.E. unique compared to other breeds?
Its temperament, truly, and its intelligence. The horse is keen on learning, which is why I believe they are becoming increasingly popular in the major circuits of the horse world.

How do you see the trend of P.R.E. breeding in the United States?
I see it improving. Just by looking at the horses born in the United States in recent years and the scores seen in competitions, the level is very high.

What traits characterize the horses from your stud in terms of morphology and movements?
I strongly believe in having quality over quantity. I prefer having 10 show-quality horses born in a year rather than having 30 or more, which could devalue the breed. I breed because I love the horse, and when I sell a horse with my brand, I want it to be able to compete at the highest levels. I aim for my horses to have a good balance between morphology and movements, in other words, a complete horse.

What can you tell us about West Coast Andalusians that sets it apart from other shows?
The West Coast Andalusian Expo is different. We focus on making it the true American show, representing the P.R.E. horse in the United States and what this great breed has become and what lies ahead for it in the future. The Hispanic American P.R.E. is growing and is poised to conquer the horse world, and using the platform of this show, we aim to make that possible.

Throughout history, the results obtained by Rancho los Naranjos are the fruit of recognition for effort and hard work. What goals do you have in mind for 2024?
2023 has been very good, and it will be very difficult to surpass it, but well, if this year we won two breeding awards, what if next year we win four? Obviously, we have big dreams. I just hope we have many triumphs, and thanks to the great team we have here, I believe it's possible to achieve.