The breed belonging to Mariano Fernández Daza and Fernández of Córdova´s heiresses is originated by the cross of two excellent Spanish thoroughbred brands, linked in 20th years of the 20th century: one belonging to Fernández of Córdova family, Marquises of the Encomienda, from Almendralejo, horses breeders since13th century and that one property of the Fernández Daza family, from Campanario, devoted to horse breeding since 19th century, and whose horses come from Zapata´s brand.

Almendralejo is a small town amply known for being the birthplace of great horses breeders . It´s enough to consult some publications about name tabs of horses breeders such as Zapata´s (1859) to verify it.

Not in vain, some specific Orders pronounced by the Chapter in order to control the horse breeding in the town date on May 17, 1566.

In this well fertilized land of horse tradition, Lorenzo Fernández de Córdova Becerra´s stud appears in the first half of 17th century. His military service in Lope de Tordoya´s Cuirass Company and then three years as Captain of the Cuirass Horses Company from Almendralejo to 1650, in the wars on Portugal, determined him to create the horse breeding which still going on in charge of the same family from Almendralejo.

The breed was sustained by the descendants from the Captain Fernández Becerra and specially improved by Pedro Benito Fernández Escobar (1701-1791), and by his son, the illustrated IV Marquis of the Encomienda, Francisco Lorenzo Fernández of Córdova and Ulloa (1745-1807), who bought some stud animals in Andalucía in order to improve the breed that at a time ennobled other ones like that from Almendralejo Council, as during a time the town Mayor rented the stud animals of the best horse breeder of spanish thoroughbred from the town at that time.

There are numerous manuscript examples about the love that both of them declared to their breed. We consider a special sign of it that Pedro Benito Fernández Escobar gave all his wealth of his property to his both sons in 1766 but he saved himself exclusiveness until his death his notable library and some mares and cobs, donkeys and horses of guests and overcoat the wonderful stud animal which he owned. He expressed: “Don´t stop the pleasure of having in his houses the stud animal of the mares”.

The inventory of the goods that remained after Catalina Fernández Golfín death in 1794, Francisco Lorenzo Fernández Ulloa wife, can give us account about the great family´s stud. She owned in that moment a brown stud animal, two colts (NERÓN y LAURADOR) and eighteen mares (MULATA, CELINDA, CAPITANA, CERRADA, ROMPEDORA, ESPAÑOLA, SARGENTA, BONITA, MORITA, CORDONA, ESPEJUELA, GOLONDRINA, CUATRALVA, ARTILLERA, VALENCIANA, PIMIENTA, ESMERALDA, CASTAÑA) and also other less beauty and useless horses and mares (a total of six).

After the war of Independence, Francisco Fernández of Córdova Melgarejo, V Marquis of the Encomienda, mended again the stud, with some Carthusian horses acquisitions, a stud that with the farther cares of his son Pedro Fernández of Córdova Mendoza (1814-1890) would get a great importance. Besides, both of them were pioneers of the idea of setting up a colt pasture in Almendralejo, because of the extreme scarcity of stud animals in Extremadura, suggestion that Juan Cotarelo would pick up and publish in his known Manual about the horses breeders (1858). Pedro Fernández de Córdova, VI Marquis of the Encomienda, bought mares and colts to Vicente Romero García, the true maker of the Carthusian thoroughbred that today we know. In 1867 the Army in view of the quality Fernández of Córdova´s breed, bought a share of colts with the Marquis of the Encomienda´s brand in order to get the military remount.

According to Calero Carretero affirmation, at last thirty horses from Almendralejo breed were in official stares during some years (Calero Carretero, Rafael and Calero Bernal, Rafael, “Horse breeding between 1741 and the present time”. Its special meaning in Extremadura, Mérida, Agriculture Council, Rural Evolution, Environment and Energy, 2013).

In 1921, Carmen Fernández of Córdova and Nogales, the last one´s grandsister, VIII Marchioness of the Encomienda, inherited the breed. After her marriage with Enrique Fernández-Daza Gómez Bravo, the breed got a chief splendour. In 1933 they bought an important share of Carthusian mares (Bocado´s brand in the variant C) from breeders Domínguez Brothers, heirs of Vicente Romero and García from Jerez de la Frontera. Among all mares, NAVAJERA pointed up for its extraordinary beauty.

After Civil War, and already widowed the Marquis consort, the damaged breed for the fight, revived again by means of new acquisitios. A portion of mares were bought from Militar Stud from Córdoba and other one from the breeder Manuel Guerrero.

In 20th century the stud horses which stood up were:

BOLERO, brown stallion, with the house brand.

NARANJERO II, dappled, from the Carthusian breed, with Vicente Romero´s brand.

FAMOSO, brown, Viscount of the Montesina´s breed and mark.

NAVAJERO, brown, NAVAJERA´s son.

FURIOSO, dappled, State stud horse.

CONDUCTOR II, Viscount of the Montesina´s brand.

From the 50s of the 20th century, the brothers Mariano and Francisco Fernández-Daza and Fernández of Córdova maintained the purity of the noble breed, thanks to the excellent selection of breedings and witness in genetic lines. They acquired several specimen to the military stud of Córdova, which came from Francisco de la Chica Navarro´s Carthusian ranching. Among mares, KANAIMA and KARABUJEA stood up.

The continuous prizes till to the present day were fulfilled of happiness the long history of the stud, since the first International Fair of the Field. The mare CLAVELLINA II got the first two medals and the Cup of the National Union of Hotel Trade. In 1955 this same mare close to TESORERA II and PEREGRINA III got several prizes in the Provincial Competition of Cattle, which was celebrated in Badajoz.