Heritage Farm Paso Finos
"Family owned and operated in Lexington, NC"
About Heritage Farm Paso Finos
Heritage Farm Paso Finos is owned and operated by Charlie and Milda Minter and is located in Lexington, NC.
Charles Minter Jr (Charlie), professional Paso Fino horse trainer and co-owner of Heritage Farm Paso Finos, grew up with this great breed. In the late 1960s, when he was about 10 years old, his parents and grandfather brought some of the first Paso Finos to the Carolinas. Charlie showed as a youth (in the early days of the association, there were no youth or amateur classes) and, by the time he finished high school, he had won numerous national championships and ribbons on horses he had trained himself. After high school, he attended North Carolina State University in Raleigh, NC, earning a B.S. degree in Animal Science. Charlie is a member of the Professional Paso Fino Trainers Association and is on the Paso Fino Horse Association (PFHA) Executive Committee. Contact Charlie at charlie@heritagefarmpasofino.com.
Milda Minter, professional Paso Fino trainer and co-owner of Heritage Farm Paso Finos, grew up with a love of horses inherited from both her parents, who had several horses throughout Milda's childhood. Milda got her first pony at age 3 and learned to show in local horse clubs and 4-H shows. As a teenager, she was introduced to Saddlebreds and showed these throughout her teen years, competing successfully at large shows in the south and east, including the World Championship Show in Louisville, KY. Intending to pursue a degree in Veterinary Medicine, she attended N.C. State University in Raleigh, NC, where she met Charlie and pursued a career as a professional horse trainer. She graduated with a B.S. Degree in Animal Science. Currently, Milda is a member of the Professional Paso Fino Trainers Association, Piedmont PFHA Board Delegate and President, and PFHA Events Committee Chair. Contact Milda at Milda@heritagefarmpasofino.com.
After college graduation, Charlie and Milda embarked on their careers as professional Paso Fino trainers and moved to California. They started training at Rancho Paso Bravo staying for several years and then, moved to Sweet Water Paso Finos, where they remained as trainers for the next 10 years. After a brief but enjoyable stay in the Dallas, TX area for 1-1/2 years, they came home in 1996 to North Carolina and opened their own facility. The name "Heritage Farm" refers to the wonderful heritage they have had in this breed and the legacy they hope to leave on the future of the breed.
Charlie and Milda have three children: Shannon, Christina, and Morgan - all three love horses, ride, and show. Shannon, now a college student, was a successful youth rider showing in all divisions and winning National Championships in Fino Sub-Junior, Equitation Sub-Junior, and Equitation Junior. Christina is showing in the Junior divisions with previous national championship wins in Equitation Sub-Junior and Performance Sub-Junior. In 2005, Christina won National Champion in Pleasure Junior and Reserve National Champion in Equitation Junior and Performance Junior. Morgan, not yet able to compete in Sub-Junior classes, participates in Walk-Corto Leadline but rides by herself around the farm and is anxious to enter the Sub-Junior classes.
Heritage Farm is a full-service facility where Paso Finos are the specialty and the focus. The farm has 37 stalls and numerous paddocks and pastures for the comfort of all the training horses. There is access to miles of trails and acres of fields in which to ride and train, giving the horses confidence to be on their own and the security to ride into new places. The farm also includes a covered arena which allows for training or exhibiting horses no matter what the weather, plus an outdoor oval arena used to practice show procedures.
Heritage Farm is located in west-central North Carolina just south of Winston-Salem and north of Lexington, NC, with easy access off Interstates 40 or 85 or Highways 52 or 64. The farm is 35 miles from the Greensboro, NC, airport and 70 miles from the Charlotte, NC, airport. The Minters welcome visitors but ask that you call first so that we may schedule appropriate time to help you.
