P.R. Laws tit. 5, § 2001
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms and phrases shall have the meaning set forth below:
(1) Department. — Shall mean the Department of Agriculture of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(2) Secretary. — Shall mean the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture of Puerto Rico.
(3) Regulating Office. — Shall mean the Puerto Rico Agriculture and Livestock Industry Regulating Office, created by virtue of §§ 3051 et seq. of this title.
(4) Regulator. — Shall mean the official designated by the Secretary of Agriculture to develop the regulation of the agriculture and livestock industries, pursuant to the provisions of §§ 3051 et seq. of this title.
(5) Office. — Shall mean the branch of the Department, denominated as the “Puerto Rican Purebred Paso Fino Horse Agro-Industry Regulations Office”, which is established in § 2002 of this title, with the purpose of promoting programs, activities, and services to [foster] the development and bolstering of the Puerto Rican purebred Paso Fino horse industry, among others. The Director of this Office shall be governed by the public policy established through §§ 3051 et seq. of this title, and in accordance with it, the Regulating Office shall be attached to the Puerto Rico Agriculture and Livestock Industry Regulating Office.
(6) Director. — Shall mean the executive official who is responsible for directing and administrating the Puerto Rican Purebred Paso Fino Horse Agro-Industry Regulations Office created by this chapter.
(7) Puerto Rican Purebred =it Paso Fino =roHorse. — Shall mean every horse that, when observed, moves forward in a four seat lateral gait that is characteristic of this breed. Its forward gait has a spirited movement, lifting the hooves only a few inches (not more than 6 inches from the ground) with a wrist-like movement of the fetlock. Its movements reflect assertiveness in its performance, as well as daintiness in its step. Its stride is short, but the movement of its legs are very speedy. The horse maintains these characteristics throughout the entire performance, and in most cases, its natural gait is evident from the moment it takes its first steps after being born. The Paso Fino horse refers only to the individual animals that belong to this breed that are only descendants of the progenitor “Sire of Sires”, known as “ Dulce Sueño ”. It must also have a traceable lineage of horses inscribable in the Central Genealogical Register of the Government of Puerto Rico, of at least three generations of this breed that may be determined, and shall apply to the horses that constitute the progeny of ancestors known and registered in the Central Genealogical Register of the Government of Puerto Rico, and that all the immediate genealogy of Puerto Rican Purebred Paso Fino ancestors of both sides of the individual to be registered can be determined. The Department of Agriculture shall deny the license or certificate of registry as a purebred Paso Fino horse, if it is established that the ancestors of the individuals to be registered are of foreign, unregistered, or doubtful origin, or to any other weighty reason. The terms “pure Paso Fino ”, Puerto Rican Paso Fino Breed, Puerto Rican Horse Breed, Classic Paso Fino, and Traditional Paso Fino, shall all mean the same thing.
(8) Foreign horses. — Any horse born in Puerto Rico or outside of Puerto Rico, that does not descend from the lines of recognized Puerto Rican purebred Paso Fino horses. These horses cannot be registered in the Central Genealogical Register of the Government of Puerto Rico. This is so, due to the confusion that exists between our breed and that of other equine breeds of America. Colombian horses are not recognized by the Government of Puerto Rico as a breed. To recognize that breed of “Pacers” as “ Paso Fino ” is a mistake since it does not invariably transmit to its descendants the main characteristics of the breed that makes it a Paso Fino by definition. In America, the organizations that promote the mixing of horse breeds in their competitions, classify them by modalities or “pacing gaits” as known in equine jargon.
(9) Pacers. — Every other horse that descends from any of the other recognized breeds of saddle horses born in Puerto Rico or abroad.
(10) Native horse. — Every horse that is not registered in any organization, and whose genealogy cannot be determined in the Central Genealogical Register. They shall also be known as “ Criollo horses”.
(11) Puerto Rican purebred Paso Fino competition. — All those national or international competitions, tournaments, shows, exhibitions, etc. held in Puerto Rico, in which all the participating horses descend from the same Paso Fino breed bloodlines, and are registered in the Central Genealogical Register.
(12) Central Genealogical Register. — Is the Puerto Rican purebred Paso Fino breed register which contains the names, color, description, owners, and other information of the animals that are members of the Puerto Rican Paso Fino breed.
(13) Pacing competitions. — Are all those national or international competitions held in Puerto Rico, in which several populations of pacing horses compete, or those that are classified by gait, pace, or type of pace. In the events known as “Puerto Rican Purebred Paso Fino ”, only those registered in the Central Genealogical Register may compete.
(14) Pacing or ambling horses. — Every horse that moves forward in perfect two-beats lateral bipedal movements.
(15) Trotting horses. — Every horse that projects a natural two-beat gait in which the horse steps simultaneously on the right forefoot and on the diagonal left hind foot, and after pausing steps subsequently on the left forefoot and right hind foot.
(16) Puerto Rican Paso Fino horse. — Shall only mean any horse, sire, gelding, colt, mare or filly, or foal of either sex, registered as a Paso Fino of Puerto Rican bloodlines in the Central Genealogical Register of the Government of Puerto Rico, that meets the specific characteristics of its breed.
(17) Breeder. — Shall mean every individual or corporation that is wholly or partially engaged in the breeding of Puerto Rican Paso Fino horses, whether for sale, or to dispose of them in any other legal manner in or outside Puerto Rico. The terms “breeder” and “farmer-breeder” shall be synonymous.
(18) Owner or owner’s agent of a Puerto Rican purebred Paso Fino stud. — Shall mean the owner or owner’s agent of a purebred Puerto Rican Paso Fino stud who provides, with or without remuneration, the services of a purebred Paso Fino stud to sire or serve purebred Paso Fino mares. As established in the regulations to these effects, the owner must present evidence that the breeding is carried out in the manner provided by the Office for those purposes.
(19) Puerto Rican purebred Paso Fino sire or Puerto Rican purebred Paso Fino stallion. — Shall mean any male Paso Fino horse used, with or without remuneration, to sire or serve Puerto Rican purebred Paso Fino mares or fillies, which must be registered in the C.G.R. and meet tie requirements of the Puerto Rican purebred Paso Fino race. According to regulations established to these effects, its genetic code must be registered in the Office, through DNA tests, genetic filiation verification, or any other test that substantiates its genealogy.
(20) Local competitions. — Every competition in which local or unregistered horses compete. They may also be known as “ Criollo horse” competitions. These competitions shall not be advertised as competitions of Puerto Rican Paso Fino horses, if carried out in the same competition, with horses that are not registered in the Central Genealogical Register, for the Paso Fino events in competition.
History —Aug. 11, 1988, No. 169, p. 718, § 2; Jan. 20, 2000, No. 37, § 1.