By Allison Jarrell
A true fixture of San Juan Capistrano’s equestrian community, Fred Love is closing the doors of Ortega Tack & Feed after 17 years of serving the region’s equestrians and their horses.
Love, who currently resides in San Juan, brought more than 50 years of experience to the store, which he purchased a year after it opened. Since then, he’s been running the shop with his family and providing customers with a wide array of horse tack and supplies, as well as a full line of English and Western tack and riding apparel.
Love originally came to San Juan Capistrano in 1969 after moving from Anaheim. He grew up ranching for Rancho Mission Viejo, shoeing horses on Whiting Ranch and raising his own cattle. Love said his parents owned pet shops and Western stores when he was young, so he also grew up working in those businesses and learning the ropes.
San Juan Capistrano Chamber President and CEO Mark Bodenhamer said Ortega Tack & Feed has been a “huge asset” to the community that not only provided great products and services, but has been “an essential part of maintaining and celebrating our town’s Western heritage and equestrian lifestyle.”
Dr. Julie Ryan Johnson, of the San Juan Capistrano Equestrian Coalition, said Love has been a dedicated supporter of the coalition since they first got their start as a nonprofit 14 years ago. Love was the original sponsor for the coalition’s first barn dance 15 years ago (known today as Two Steppin’ Under the Stars).
Ryan Johnson said Love knew his clients very well and was always great with catering to the community’s needs.
“Fred has been so generous to the equestrian community,” Ryan Johnson said. “We’re really going to miss him.”
Former mayor Sam Allevato, a passionate equestrian and longtime resident, referred to Love as a “real deal cowboy.” Allevato said Love’s experience raising his own cattle, raising and training horses, and diagnosing issues with horses while on the trail, made him a go-to guide for local horse owners seeking advice.
“He was always a wealth of knowledge for anything Western, for the novice up to the experienced horse owner,” Allevato said. “His tack and feed store was always supplied with the best quality feed, equipment, and clothing. I sent many a novice into his store to get the right Western hat, jeans, and boots for both the Portola Ride and the Las Tortugas Ride.”
Love is closing shop due to health issues and will be retiring and raising cows—something he’s done all his life—in Northern California.
Love said he has appreciated the support of San Juan’s equestrian community, a group of people he describes as “one big family.”
“The customers we’ve had over the years have been as loyal and as good of friends as you can have,” he said. “They’re wonderful people.”
Love is hosting a closing celebration at the store on March 23 from 4-6:30 p.m. Members of the public are welcome to stop by, grab a bite to eat, and help Love get ready to “close ‘er down.”
Ortega Tack & Feed is located at 31738 Rancho Viejo Road, Suite A. For more information, call 949.487.1535 or visit www.ortegatackandfeed.com.
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