Three Generations
From right to left, Benjamin Leon, Jr. and Profeta de Besilu; Benjamin Leon IV and Legacy de Besilu and Benjamin Leon III and Profeta Segundo de Besilu.  Photo by Cheri Prill

[History of the Besilu Collection]

The Besilu Collection is a dynasty of Paso Fino Champions in the United States, however as with all great establishments, the Besilu Collection emerged from humble beginnings.

Following his retirement from the Modified Softball National League of the Amateur Softball Association (ASA) and having set records that still stand today with four National and World titles in September of 1981, and an induction into the National Softball Hall of Fame in February of 1988, Benjamin Leon, Jr. turned his interests to horses, an activity he had enjoyed since boyhood in his native land of Cuba. He first purchased some pleasure Paso Fino horses for the family, but he soon realized that the show ring was his destiny. He sold each of the initial group of horses by April of 1982 and purchased and imported a son of Contrapunto from Colombia and he also purchased an entire herd of twenty four horses from Dominican breeders Luis and Lizette Lebron. Within this herd were influential horses such as the undefeated Grand Champion Marequesa de Besilu, Rebeldia de Besilu - dam of Alegria de Besilu and grand dam to Jazmin de Isla, Jenca de Besilu - dam of Rebeldia.

In June of 1983, the Besilu Collection traveled to the International Paso Fino Competition held in Oklahoma. The show was three separate days of competition. Marquesa de Besilu was crowned Grand Champion Fino and Bella Forma each day. Saturday evening, under the eyes of five international judges from Colombia, Venezuela, Domincan Republic, Puerto Rico and the United States, fifteen horses entered into the Figure Eight and Fino Strip Championships. Once again, Marquesa defeated the great Plebeyo and captured both titles. Besilu horses also won the Performance and Pleasure divisions as well as the Largo Race.

The Besilu  Collection was Nationals bound in 1983 with a strong string of competitors. At this point in time, the classes were split into open fillies, open colts, mares, geldings and stallions, amateur owners, mare and stallion classes with an open championship. The 1983 Nationals Champions were: Fino Filly - Encanto de Besilu, Fino Colt - Marquez de Santiago (owned by the Besilu Collection and son of Marquesa de Besilu), Fino Mare - Marquesa de Besilu, Amateur Owner Mare - Marquesa International ridden by Benjamin Leon, Jr. himself, Reserve Amateur Owner Mare - Cosqueta de Besilu ridden by his son, Bejamin Leon III, Bella Forma Mare - Marquesa de Besilu, Grand National Champion Bella Forma Horse - Marquesa de Besilu, Grand National Champion Fino Horse - Marquesa de Besilu, defeating the Fino Stallion Champion Plebeyo, who came in second, Encanto de Besilu third and Marques de Santiago fourth Grand National Champion.

In 1983 alone, the great mare Marquesa de Besilu accumulated over 700 show points and remained untouchable and undefeated in both Classic Fino and Bella Forma competitions.

The entire Leon family enjoyed the thrill of competition, each receiving regional, national and international titles in Equitation, Fino, Performance and Pleasure in Amateur Owner and Youth classes. The family and horses toured the United States, dominating at shows in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Alabama, North Carolina, Ocala and then returning home to Miami.

In December of 1983, the next Besilu icon would enter the scene: he was Monarca de Besilu. A son of Colombian legend, Contrapunto, Monarca was purchased and imported sight unseen, only from a video Leon had ordered of the top fifteen Fino stallions in Colombia at that time. Monarca would later become the 1988 National Champion Fino Stallion and an incomparable sire and grandsire of Champions in the United States and abroad. He has earned several PFHA Top Tens Sire recognitions for his outstanding offspring.

Following her win as National Champion Three Year Old Fino Filly in October of 1984, Benjamin Leon Jr. would purchase his next superstar, Profetiza. Profetiza was the feminine grey daughter of Resorte IV, which had been imported from Colombia, and was quickly gaining recognition as one of the most outstanding Fino mares ever witnessed. This legendary mare would give the Leon family numerous championships, cherished memories and financial gains. Profetiza alone, through her titles and offspring earnings, gained and excess of two million dollars for the Besilu Collection, more than ten times her purchase price. However, the joys she brought to the Leon family far outweighed her revenues. Profetiza will always be remembered as one of the most special horses that the Besilu Collection has ever owned.

Perhaps Profetiza's greatest gift to the Besilu Collection was her son, Profeta de Besilu, said by many to be the most complete Paso Fino Stallion ever bred. Profeta, the son of Nevado, has made an immeasurable impact on the Paso Fino breed. His gentle nature and suave Fino steps earned him three US Grand National Fino Championships, three Spectrum International Fino Championships, the Puerto Rican Ponce International Grand Fino Championship, the Colombian National and International Grand Championship in Medellin, and the Confepaso World Grand Fino Championship in Santo Domingo. Profeta, as did his dam, gave the Leon family many priceless moments. While still owned by the Besilu Collection, he was undefeated in all Fino competition. Today, Profeta de Besilu is an influential sire of champions and multiple Top Ten sire. On January 16, 2009 Profeta de Besilu came home to the new Besilu Collection in Micanopy. The joy of having Profeta back home is immeasurable.

Profeta's biggest rival in the show ring was none other than Simbolo de Besilu, a son of Monarca de Besilu. This Besilu-bred Fino Champion triumphs are proof to the potency of the Besilu breeding programs. Before his untimely death, Simbolo de Besilu was a three time US Grand National Champion Fino Stallion, Colombian Grand National and International Champion Fino stallion, three time Spectrum International Grand Champion Fino Stallion and World Grand Champion Fino Stallion. Simbolo has also joined his predecessors Monarca de Besilu and Profeta de Besilu on the prestigious Top Ten Sires list for his excellence in reproductive capabilities.

Today the Besilu Collection is known as the winningest breeding operation in the United States. Besilu horses have won it all! Besides the triumphs that Besilu's own horses have earned for the Leon family, hundreds of Paso Fino owners have enjoyed similar satisfaction with their own horses purchased from the Besilu Collection. Besilu horses have and will continue to earn National, International and World recognition for their superiority in Fino, Performance, Pleasure and Bellas Forma competition in the open, amateur owner and youth divisions. The Besilu Collection is and will always be a dynasty of Paso Fino Champions.