Piaffe-Performance Young Riders Medal on the Home Front
Whitehouse Station, NJ (August 15, 2011) – International dressage rider and trainer Dr. Cesar Parra recently wrapped up his very successful European tour, returning to his Piaffe-Performance Farm in New Jersey with Michael and Sara Davis’s Grandioso and Dave and Taunia Reed’s Agastrofos. Parra’s goal overseas was to prep himself and his horses for the show arena and gain training advice from the masters in Germany. While Agastrofos’ time overseas was more focused on training than competition, there can be no doubt that Dr. Parra met his goal; he and Grandioso won four major competitions during their stay in Germany. At Balve and Helmer Edelburg, the pair competed in the Prix St. Georges and S3, topping the field in classes of over 40 horses.
“I am so happy with Grandioso’s success here in Europe. I have always said, and known, that Grandioso is a very special horse,” Parra said. “Having shown in Germany for many years, I know how difficult it is to win a class here. Our time there was fantastic from a training perspective of course, but it has also given us more confidence in the ring.”
While Parra was winning overseas, the students at his Piaffe-Performance Farm were racking up the wins in Kentucky. Chase Hickok and Dominique Cassavetis both medaled at the 2011 USDF/Platinum Performance North American Junior and Young Rider Championships in Lexington. Hickok took home the Individual Silver in the Young Rider Freestyle and the Individual Bronze in the Young Rider Team Test, while Cassavetis rode away as part of the Junior Gold Medal winning team from Region 1. “Chase and Dominique did a fantastic job of representing Performance Farm,” said Parra. “And senior trainer Katie Riley did an exemplary job of coaching them in my absence. I could not have asked for a better outcome.”
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