Personal Profile

Francisco Lopez Maeso – 4th Degree Tara Miliata

Francisco Lopez Maeso  - 3rd degree Black Belt Kendo

Equestrian

700km across Andalucia, Spain - Paco and Red Express - Fittest Horse

  • “Paco” has a long history of horse riding but in 1990 he began serious competition in Endurance, long distance horse racing.
  • He has successfully competed in Spain, New Zealand, Dubai and in Europe.
  • He was Chef D´Equipe  for the Spanish Endurance Team for 6 years winning Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at World and European Championships.
  • In the last 10 years Paco has been competitively involved in multi day races.  He has completed the famous Al-Andalus race across southern Spain 4 times.  The race is 600km – 700km in 8 days on one horse.
  • He has a riders and advisory experience in western reining competitions.
  • Paco is a member of the committee and Legal Advisor to the Real Federación Hipica Española (Spanish Equestrian Federation) and Legal Advisor to the Celtimania Foundation.

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Martial Arts

  • Paco began his martial studies at age 14 when he began training in Karate.
  • At University while undertaking a law degree he studied and competed in western fencing.
  • In the late 1980’s he studied Kendo and Iaido in Japan.
  • He was one of the founders of Ken Wa Kai Kendo in Madrid, Spain.
  • As a 3rd degree Black Belt, Paco now teaches Kendo in Cordoba, Spain and organises the Kendo federation for Andalucia.
  • The transition from a ground based warrior to horseback warrior has been a natural development for Paco as his martial arts and horse activities daily become the same thing.