Cesar Parra and Grandioso Win CDI in Grand Style at International Horse Sport Champions Cup Show

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International dressage rider and trainer Cesar Parra swept the CDI with Grandioso at the International Horse Sport Champions Cup Show. It was Grandioso’s first CDI and the horse won in grand style. (Photo courtesy of Piaffe-Performance)

Loxahatchee, FL (April 1, 2011) – International Dressage Rider and trainer Cesar Parra rode Grandioso into the winner’s circle in grand style during a three day CDI Small Tour victory at the International Horse Sport Champions Cup Show at the Equestrian Estates in Loxahatchee, Florida. Parra and Grandioso started their grand winning streak by capturing first in the CDI Prix St. Georges with a score of 71.579% on Friday, followed by winning the CDI Intermediaire I with a score of 73.114% on Saturday, then making a clean sweep of the show on Sunday by winning the CDI Intermediaire Freestyle with a 73.950%.

“I could not have been more proud of Grandioso. He truly stepped up to the plate and delivered beautiful tests each day. It was his first CDI ever and the first time I had ridden him in the Small Tour. I rode him conservatively to get the feeling for him in those tests since he is such a big guy and big mover and he stayed right with me and was very rideable,” Parra said. “Grandioso’s success is absolutely a team effort. I have a supportive owner in the Davis family, who trust and believe in us, and a whole support crew who makes sure that Grandioso is happy and gets everything he needs. He works hard, but he is really a loved horse!”

Grandioso is no stranger to the winner’s circle, as he won the Six-Year-Old Young Horse National Championship in 2007 with rider and trainer Jason Canton. The Davis family, Michael, Sarah, and Bebe, purchased Grandioso in 2009 and Parra began training him. With his sights set on the Pan Am Games and the 2012 Olympics, Parra is hoping that Grandioso will help him achieve his dream of riding on the U.S. Dressage team. “Since becoming a U.S. citizen it has been my goal to ride on a U.S. team and I believe Grandioso has what it takes,” said Parra, who owns Piaffe-Performance with locations in Florida and New Jersey.

Grandioso’s show season has wrapped up in Florida and Parra said the gelding’s next show will be in New Jersey. “Our horses are headed back up north in the middle of April where they will settle in and then begin preparing for our first northern show, the CDI at Allentown,” Parra said, adding that the younger horses in the barn have one more show to go. “Lindner and Agastrofos both will show one more time here in Florida at Dressage at Equestrian Estates.  We are so blessed to have such talented young horses in the barn and I think that it is important that each has a personal training and showing regime with their own goals.”

Also during the IHSPB Champions Cup, Parra debuted Dave and Taunia Reed’s horse, Agastrofos. “I competed Aga this weekend for the first time in the Developing Horse class for young PSG horses.  Even though we are a newer partnership, I was very pleased with how the weekend went with him. We finished first and second in very competitive classes!” Parra said, adding that he felt that Piaffe-Performance’s IHSPB Champions Cup was a huge success. “Everybody, horses, riders and everyone else, once again rose to the occasion and made it a very fun and successful weekend. We had a few debuts at this show and based on the results I believe that the spring and summer season should continue our Florida successes.”

Parra said he is very pleased when he looks back at the Florida winter show season. “This has been a fantastic season for us and the Champions Cup show was no different. We have such a tremendous team of people that made the Florida season not only a huge success, but a real pleasure at the same time.  Every day I am extremely grateful to all of them.  I have said it for years, and I firmly believe that dressage is a team sport!”

For more information on Parra or Piaffe-Performance visit their website at www.piaffe-performance.com.

For more information contact:

Dr. Cesar Parra

drcesarparra@msn.com

www.piaffe-performance.com

410-977-8352

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