Alvaro Iriarte

Alvaro Iriarte passed away on Monday, March 25th, 2024 at his residence in Newton, NC. He was born on October 31, 1936 in Tarqui, Huila, Colombia.

Alvaro came to the United States in 1971, to pursue the “American Dream”. After working on pig farms, cattle farms, learning English and training other breeds of horses along with a few Paso Fino horses, he was finally able to start his dream of establishing a Paso Fino horse business around 1975 in the Newton area. This was the start of the well-established Paso Fino Farm, Startown Stables. Alvaro had great success in the Paso Fino Horse business, not only in the United States, but even opening markets for the breed in Europe and Canada. He judged regionally, nationally and internationally. He always welcomed people to learn about the Paso Fino breed. With the expansion of this horse breed in the US, Alvaro’s childhood dream was fulfilled by becoming a United States Citizen in 1979. In 1992, he was honored by his peers as the PFHA Trainer of the Year. Other recognitions include, PFHA Hall of Fame, First Recipient of the PFHA Trainer’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Exhibitor Recognition at the Cheval Pasion Avignon, France. Many people not only in the Paso Fino horse community, but even those whose lives he touched in other ways have described him as a legend, a mentor, an inspiration, a pioneer and talented . Most of all Alvaro was very humble and always willing to learn.

Alvaro is survived by his loving wife, Jill Graff, their daughter Ana Elizabeth Iriarte, and his children Marcela Tobar, Leonor Iriarte and husband Jaime Sarmiento, Magda Reid and husband Rocky Reid, and Alvaro "Pito" Iriarte Jr. He is also survived by daughter-in-law Lisa Dwyer, siblings Olga Iriarte, Lucy Vasquez, Pepina Harman, Genoeva Iriarte, and Fabiola Iriarte, as well as grandchildren Hannah Reid, Isaac Iriarte, Isabel Reid, Victoria Burch, Adrian Councill, Emilio Reid, Juan Lucas Iriarte, Silas Miguel Iriarte, and Alana Leonor Iriarte. He is also survived by great grandchildren Charlie Jones, Silvia Roseman, and one due in August.

Alvaro was preceded in death by his father, Luis Carlos Iriarte, mother Ana Rita Iriarte, son Juan Carlos Iriarte, and siblings Beatriz Higuera, Sofia Iriarte, and Inez Cuello.

The family will receive friends from 2:30-3:30 pm, Sunday, March 31st, 2024 and a Memorial Mass to follow at 3:30 pm at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 921 2nd St NE, Hickory, NC 28601.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Carolina Caring Hospice, https://www.carolinacaring.org/give/ and Humane Society of Catawba County, https://catawbahumane.org/give/

Please sign the online guestbook on the Memorial Wall at www.jenkinsfuneralhome.net. The Iriarte family has entrusted arrangements to Jenkins Funeral Home and Cremation Service in Newton 828-464-1555.