Wellington, FL (February 21, 2011) – International Dressage Rider Cesar Parra and his students at Piaffe-Performance made a big splash at the Wellington Classic Dressage Spring Challenge CDI, when Parra and all eight of his students rode into the winner’s circle. Despite rain that kept the sky cloudy and the rings muddy, the riders at Piaffe-Performance shone as they captured the blue in 11 classes at the show.
“I am so excited about this show and how all of my riders did. I am so proud of everyone,” Parra said. “We had eight riders and won 11 classes, which is truly wonderful. In addition to my students doing great, I feel like I rode two very special horses, Grandioso and Lindner, and was very pleased that both horses did their best and were successful.”
Parra said that although the rings were a mess and it was raining, he made the decision to ride. “It was raining like crazy and a lot of competitors were scratching but I made the decision to go ahead and compete and I am really glad I did,” Parra said. “I was able to ride and warm up like I always do and within five minutes the sun came out. I competed Grandioso in the Intermediaire 2 class, which is a more risky and more forward test, but Grandioso stepped up to the challenge and I am so proud of him.”
Parra and Grandioso won the FEI Intermediaire II class with a score of 70.526% and the FEI or Equivalent Test of Choice with a score of 73.158%. Parra recently returned from training in Europe with Grandioso, a nine-year-old Westfalen gelding owned by Michael and Sarah Davis. “In Europe we trained with Hubertus Schmidt; Grandioso is doing awesome and constantly improving. He is a huge horse, so strength is very important in order to carry himself and maintain his expressive gaits,” Parra said, adding that his goal with Grandioso is to continue his training with their sights set on the 2012 Olympics in London.
Parra also competed the Davis family’s new horse, Lindner, at the show, and was pleased with the five-year-old Westfalen gelding’s progress. Parra and Lindner won the USEF First Level Test 2 with a score of 69.310% and placed second in the USEF First Level Test. The Davis family was well represented at the show, when Bebe Davis, the daughter of Michael and Sarah Davis and a student at Piaffe-Performance, rode into the winner’s circle on Bohdjan in the FEI or Equivalent Test of Choice class with a score of 65.893%.
Other Piaffe-Performance students to bring home the blues included: Katie Riley on Rotano who won the USEF Fourth Level Test 2 class; John McGinty who won the FEI Prix St. Georges AA class on Chanel; and Nadine Buberl who won the USEF Training Level Test 1 class on Wellington Sandro Star, owned by Taunia and David Reed of Wellington Farm with a score of 72.917% and the USEF Training Level Test of Choice class with a 74.400%.
Kevin Kohmann won the USEF Developing Horse class with another one of the Reed’s horses, Agastrofos, with a 68.824%; Katie Riley won the USEF Third Level Test of Choice Class on Zanzibar with a 66.053%; and Chase Hickok won the FEI Young Rider Freestyle NAJYRC class on Palermo with a 68.250% and placed second in the FEI Young Rider Team PSG class.
Parra, a successful international competitor and well-known trainer who specializes in classical dressage methods, credited teamwork for the success of the Piaffe-Performance riders. “I believe in teamwork and everyone at Piaffe-Performance worked together at this show to make it a huge success and I am so grateful,” Parra said.
For more information on Parra or Piaffe-Performance, with locations in Florida and New Jersey, visit their website at www.piaffe-performance.com.
For more information contact:
Dr. Cesar Parra
410-977-8352
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