About Us

Rancho Poker Paso Finos began in 1986 and continues strong today. Numerous National and Grand Champion awards have been earned by both Manny and Sharon, but more importantly, by their Amateur and Youth clientele.

Sharon Londoño

Sharon was born and raised in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, where her love for horses also began. Sharon pursued her childhood interest by enrolling and graduating from Lakeshore College in Wisconsin with a degree in Equine Science. Her equine education has been supplemented with related courses at the University of Colorado.

Her involvement with the Paso Fino breed began in 1984 with employment at Lakehart Farm, a breeding and training facility located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. Her training and managing career then moved to the Huntsville and Houston, Texas areas before moving to Covington, Louisiana. To enhance her knowledge of the Paso Fino breed, Sharon traveled to Colombia, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic to visit several ranches and acquainting herself with their quality Paso Fino stock and their techniques of judging, training and showing.

Sharon has earned her judge’s card and began her judging career in 1989, becoming a Senior Certified judge in 1993. She has judged the PFHA Grand National Championship Show in 1994, the inaugural judge for the Fabulous Fino Futurity at the 2003, 2004, and 2005 Grand National Championship Shows. Internationally, she has judged in Puerto Rico, CONFEPASO’s Youth Mundial in Santo Domingo, the 1999, 2003, 2007, 2009, 2013 and 2015 CONFEPASO Mundial (World Cup) competitions and the European Gaited Championships held in Nuremberg, Germany in 2004, 2006, and 2010. She has given clinics in Canada, England, and Germany. She is a recorded “R” licensed official with the US Equestrian Federation. Sharon served in many capacities at the National level for PFHA since 1988, which includes her two terms as President ending in January 2021.

Sharon’s experience has lead her to realize that no matter where you travel in the world or with what breed you choose to work with the horse is the MOST magnificent creation in the animal kingdom.

Manny Londoño

Manny is a native of Colombia, South America. After graduating from college with a Commercial Arts degree, Manny pursued his dream by going to the United States in 1981. Upon arriving in the US, it became apparent that his heritage of being a third generation horse trainer, would prove to provide a more lucrative means to making a living.

In 1983, Manny began his first of numerous National Title wins by riding Plebeyo. He continued to train and ride Paso Fino horses until 1986, when he met Sharon. This began an evolution in his training style to include training not only the classic Fino horses, but the Performance and Pleasure horses. He recognized the importance of the Amateur Owner and their impact on the Paso Fino horse industry. He developed a style of training that would allow the owners to ride and enjoy their animals both on the trails and in the show ring. He is prouder of the Grand and National Championship titles the owners have won then his own show ring successes!

Manny has become a citizen of the United States, developed his own ranch, and raises his children in Covington, Louisiana.