Meliton Ortiz

Meliton Ortiz riding a Camarillo White Horse. 

Meliton Ortiz was Adolfo Camarillo's right hand man and guardian of the Camarillo White Horses. 

A skilled and knowledgeable horseman, Ortiz was first introduced to riding by Adolfo. He was only 11 years old when he first rode one of Adolfo's horses, and by the time he was 13, he had been hired on as a ranch hand at the Camarillo Ranch. 

Without Meliton, the Camarillo White Horses might not even exist. On Christmas Day, 1937 a fire burned down the Camarillo barn. The horses were trapped inside when the fire erupted, but Meliton managed to release the horses and lead them to safety. The fire had burned an estimated 15 minutes by the time Meliton noticed the fire and moved to rescue the horses. While the horses were frightened, their affection for Meliton allowed him to lead them out of the barn before it burned down. 

For 50 years, Meliton worked closely with Adolfo and Carmen to train, groom, breed, and care for the Camarillo horses. 

When Carmen died in 1987, Meliton was gifted a Camarillo White Horse called Poncho while the others were sold at auction. As the horses' numbers began to wane, Meliton became involved with the Camarillo White Horse Association, for whom he would eventually serve as president. 

Under his care, Poncho sired several foals, and his line is still going strong with a number of progeny, including Carmelita who was born in 2002.