Whitehouse Station, NJ (September 23, 2010) – International Dressage Rider Dr. Cesar Parra has found that sticking to a long term training plan with consistent work is the key to ending up in the winner’s circle. Cesar, who once again found success with Dr. Lori Washton’s Olympia at the recent New England Dressage Association (NEDA) Fall Festival CDI, truly believes that a quick fix isn’t the answer to long term success.
Parra’s consistent training plan for the 14-year-old KWPN gelding has not only led them to the winner’s circle during the NEDA Fall Festival, but also to victory in the CDI Prix St. Georges, the CDI Intermediaire I and the CDI Intermediaire Freestyle. “I really feel Olympia is a contender for the Pan Am Games next year, but it is more than luck that has helped us; it’s hard work,” he said.
Parra also rode Grandioso, a nine-year-old Westfalen gelding owned by Michael and Sarah Davis, into the winner’s circle in the FEI Intermediaire II class at the NEDA Fall Festival. “Grandioso was fantastic. He had a crowd following behind him as we walked up to the ring and he was really on and was listening to me,” Parra said. “I feel very blessed to be able to be his rider.”
While Parra can now claim multiple CDI wins on multiple horses at the NEDA shows, he says that for both Olympia and Grandioso he is sticking to his plan. “I have to do things the right way so that neither horse learns bad habits,” Parra said. “I can’t wait to see Grandioso in a year when he is competing in the Grand Prix.”
Parra said that it can take years to develop a good dressage horse, and that part of his plan with Grandioso includes taking the horse to Europe this fall and working with Hubertus Schmidt. “Our plan with Olympia is to compete at Devon,” Parra added.
Cesar employs the same approach to consistent hard work, long term thinking and daily discipline in his personal life. While he is currently enjoying success as a dressage rider, teacher, trainer and American Citizen, it was not so long ago that he left behind an established life as a dentist in Colombia to start over as a dressage trainer and rider in America. According to his wife Marcela, “Cesar has no regrets about leaving behind his life as a dentist; he loves the riding, he loves the horses.”
For more information on Parra or Piaffe-Performance, which has facilities in New Jersey and Florida, visit their website at www.piaffe-performance.com.
For more information contact:
Dr. Cesar Parra
410-977-8352
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