Tag Archives: Cesar Parra

Awards, Dressage, JRPR

Piaffe-Performance Farms to Sponsor Adult Amateur Award at Global Dressage Festival

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Dr. Cesar Parra and Katie Riley of Piaffe-Performance Farms. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Cesar Parra)

Wellington, FL (February 1, 2013) – Dr. Cesar Parra of Piaffe-Performance Farms is known for his dedication to the sport of dressage and the equine industry, and during the 2013 Global Dressage Festival he will continuing this tradition by sponsoring the Adult Amateur High Performance award.  Designed to recognize exceptional performances by adult amateurs during the circuit, he award will be given each week of the festival, which will have two shows each month in January and February and three each month in March and April.  Five of the shows will have international recognition by the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) and seven will also be U.S. national-level shows.

Parra was an international rider in Colombia before becoming a US citizen in 2008.  Since then he has represented the U.S. at the Pan American Games gold medal-winning dressage team in 2011.  Piaffe-Performance Farms is based in Jupiter, FL, from December to March and Whitehouse Station, NJ, from April through November.

Continue reading Piaffe-Performance Farms to Sponsor Adult Amateur Award at Global Dressage Festival →

*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, Phelps Media Group, Wellington Classic Dressage

Gold Coast Opener Grand Prix CDI-W Provides Preview of World Dressage Masters Competitors

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Cesar Parra praises Van The Man

Wellington, FL – January 18, 2013 – Today’s Gold Coast Opener Grand Prix CDI-W showcased horses and riders preparing for next weekend’s World Dressage Masters (WDM) CDI5* Palm Beach, and the WDM competitors certainly displayed their dominance. WDM entrants swept all six ribbons in the Grand Prix, with all but one riding the horses they will compete next weekend.

And if the results from today are a predictor, it seems that Sweden will be a force to be reckoned with. Patrik Kittel and Watermill Scandic posted 72.723% to steal the win at the last moment from fellow Swedish Olympic teammate Tinne Vilhelmson-Silfven aboard Divertimento, whose 71.170% was the leading score until the final ride. At WDM, Kittel will try to duplicate today’s success on Watermill Scandic, while Vilhelmson-Silfven will switch to her Olympic mount, Don Auriello.

The chilly weather at the Jim Brandon Equestrian Center in Wellington, site of both the Gold Coast Opener and WDM, had a few horses on edge in the warm-up, including Watermill Scandic. But most held it together once they entered the ring. Kittel was full of praise for the venue. “The whole place is lovely!” he exclaimed, adding that he would happily show there every weekend if it were “just a bit closer” to his home in Sweden.

Continue reading Gold Coast Opener Grand Prix CDI-W Provides Preview of World Dressage Masters Competitors →

*Featured/Spotlights, Dressage, JRPR, Training/Clinics

They’re Back! Trainers Converge on Florida for 2013 Dressage Season

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Dr. Cesar Parra and his Grand Prix mount, Van the Man, arrive in Florida for the winter dressage season. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Cesar Parra)

Wellington, FL (January 7, 2013) – Every year, Wellington, Florida becomes a mecca for the who’s who in the world of dressage, the new year kicks off with the arrival of hundreds of riders and trainers, their horses and dreams for the season. We caught up with four riders who just settled in for a season of one of the world’s largest international and national dressage circuits. We caught up with George Williams, Chris von Martels, J. J. Tate, and Cesar Parra.  In between unpacking we got them to share their plans with us.

USDF President George Williams, who leads the charge at Elizabeth B. Juliano (Betsy’s) Havensafe Farm (Middlefield, Ohio and Wellington, Florida), shared with us his plans for the 2013 show season: “We arrived (in Florida for the winter) in November with eight horses. The four horses we plan to compete are Cleopatra, a 10 year old Hanoverian slated for the small tour, the amazing Big Tyme, Betsy’s 11 year old Belgian warmblood. They will continue their small tour success.  We also have Riccidoff, a 7 year old Hanoverian who is just starting small tour, and our youngster, Horizon, a 5 year old Oldenburg who is competing at second level.  Coming from Northern Ohio, the best thing about Florida has to be the weather! We really like the proximity of the shows to the farm and the variety of dates and venues. It will also be wonderful to watch competitions, conferences, forums, etc. This year, our goal is to work toward confirming all of the horses at their appropriate level.”

Continue reading They’re Back! Trainers Converge on Florida for 2013 Dressage Season →

*Featured/Spotlights, Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, JRPR

Dr. Cesar Parra and His Piaffe-Performance Team Win Big at Dressage at Devon

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Nicholas Torres Rodriguez and Silver Label won the FEI Junior Individual Test as well as the FEI Junior Freestyle. (Photos: SusanJStickle.com)

Devon, PA (October 16, 2012) – The team at Piaffe-Performance Farms, owned by dressage trainer Dr. Cesar Parra, stepped up their game during the 2012 Dressage at Devon CDI, taking home numerous wins in various classes.  It is a trend they plan to continue throughout the end of this year and into the 2013 Florida winter circuit.  Devon was a banner show for Dr. Cesar Parra, who with his mount Simply Nymphenburg rode away with the win in the 6-Year-Old Division of the FEI Young Horse Finals and the overall high score for the young horse competition with an impressive score of 84.200.  Parra’s students were also in the ribbons at Dressage at Devon, as Nicholas Torres Rodriguez and Barbara “Bebe” Davis each took home honors at the prestigious show.

Ridden and trained by Parra, Simply Nymphenburg (Sir Donnerhall I x Weltmeyer) is a 17.2 Hanoverian gelding owned by Michael and Sarah Davis. Prior to Devon, Parra and Simply Nymphenburg took the Reserve Championship in the 6-Year-Old Division at the Young Horse Dressage Championships. “Simply is maturing well and improving every day,” said Parra. “I look forward to the future with him, continuing to advance his training and hopefully take him to the FEI level.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, JRPR

Simply Nymphenburg Named Grand Champion FEI 6-Year-Old in Young Horse Finals

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Cesar Parra and Simply Nymphenburg won the Five-Year-Old division of the FEI Young Horse Finals at Dressage at Devon. (Photo courtesy of SusanJStickle.com)

Devon, PA (September 28, 2012) – Simply Nymphenburg, a striking 17.2 Hanoverian gelding, outshone the competition in the 6-Year-Old division in the FEI Young Horse Finals at Dressage at Devon, taking the Grand Champion title with an impressive score of 80.60%.  Ridden and trained by Dr. Cesar Parra of Piaffe Performance Farm and owned by Michael and Sarah Davis, Simply Nymphenburg (Sir Donnerhall I x Weltmeyer) is fresh off a Reserve Championship finish in the 6-Year-Old division at the Young Horse Dressage Championships, and his improvement was evident in his performance at Dressage at Devon. Reserve Champion in the 6-Year-Old division went to Lars Petersen and Rohannah with a 78.2% and in third were Inga Hamilton and Fabregas with a 76.6%.

“Simply was fantastic,” said Dr. Parra.  “He has improved so much since the Young Horse Championships; he was a bit nervous as it was his first time under the lights, but he was always listening and always on the aids.  We are thrilled to have received such an excellent score from a judge of Stephan Clark’s caliber and in such a competitive class.”  Simply and Dr. Parra received an 8.5 for their trot and an 8 for their walk, for an overall total of 80.60%.  Simply Nymphenburg is no stranger to top placings against stiff competition as he took the bronze in the 5-Year-Old division during the 2011 Bundeschampionate in Germany.  “Simply is maturing well and improving every day,” said Parra.  “I look forward to the future with him, to continuing to advance his training and hopefully take him to the FEI level.”

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*Featured/Spotlights, Competitions, Dressage, Events, JRPR

Dr. Cesar Parra and Van the Man Kick Off Fall Show Season with Grand Prix Success

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Dr. Cesar Parra and Van the Man kicked off the fall season with a win in the Grand Prix CDI at the 2012 New England Dressage Festival Fall Festival. (Photo courtesy of Carole MacDonald)

Saugerties, NY (September 24, 2012) – Dr. Cesar Parra and his team at Piaffe Performance continue to ride into the ribbons, kicking off the fall season with numerous titles during the 2012 New England Dressage Association Fall Festival which took place on September 13-15.  Parra and his mount, Van the Man, have begun the fall dressage schedule by finding success in the Grand Prix. “I was so happy with Van and his improvement,” states Parra about Van the Man’s performance.  I was so happy when I finished the Grand Prix. The time we took with him this summer is paying off. I really believe he is going to be in top form very soon. It is so exciting to see the results of the training; he is doing great, but he is going to keep getting better!” adds Parra.

Van the Man is a ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding by Obelisk and owned by Michael and Sarah Davis.  Van the Man and Parra won the CDI Grand Prix and was second in the CDI Grand Prix Special at NEDA. “The Grand Prix was our first CDI win with Van so it was very special,” Parra explains. “There was also a big jumping show going on, so the atmosphere could get overwhelming for the horses, but Van handled it super!”  Van indeed showed like a super star on Friday pulling in a Grand Prix total of 69.745%.  They did nearly as well on Sunday in the Olympic Grand Prix Special with a score of 68.844%.

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Championships, Competitions, Dressage, Events, FEI, JRPR

Columbian Junior Rider Nicolas Torres Rodriguez Recognized for His Top Scores at the North American Junior Young Rider Championships

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Cesar Parra (left) stands with Nicolas Torres Rodriguez (center) and one of the judges at the NAJYRC after Rodriguez’s winning ride. (Photo courtesy of Sue Stickle)

Lexington, KY (June 30, 2012) – Colombian dressage rider Nicolas Torres Rodriguez has enjoyed a banner show season that was just topped off by being honored as the high scoring junior rider in all three days of competition at the 2012 North American Junior Young Rider Championships (NAJYRC). He and Silver Label, a 15-year-old Swedish warmblood gelding, earned the highest individual score in the team competition with a 70.027%.  The pair then took first place in a class of 36 riders the next day in the FEI Junior Individual Test with a score of 72.053%. They finished up the weekend strong, with a 75.50% in the freestyle, set to music from the movie Avatar. The NAJYRC is not yet open to rider teams from South America so Rodriguez was not eligible for a medal, but he was given special recognition for his first place finishes in the Team test and the Freestyle during the awards ceremony.

The 15-year-old Rodriguez was thrilled with the outcome, saying, “Competing at the Rolex Stadium is a dream come true.”  Torres is the first Colombian rider to participate in the NAJYRC, and he and Silver Label have been together for about a year, and train with 2011 Pan Am Gold Medalist Dr. Cesar Parra of Piaffe Performance Farm in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.  Rodriguez said that if he has the opportunity, he would like to return to the championships with a full team from Colombia.

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Community/Charity, Dressage, JRPR

Piaffe-Performance and Dr. Cesar Parra Leave Lasting Impression on Riders and Students

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Kevin Kohmann, from Hamburg, Germany, is a rider who has greatly benefited from his experience at Piaffe Performance, and says that Dr. Parra has been an inspiration to him. (Photo courtesy of Terri Miller)

Whitehouse Station, NJ (June 18, 2012)  – Dr. Cesar Parra, a member of the 2011 Gold Medal Pan Am Dressage Team, is an accomplished international dressage rider who is not only dedicated to his sport but also dedicated to his students, riders and staff at Piaffe Performance Farm. Parra, along with his wife Marcela, owns Piaffe-Performance Farms with locations in New Jersey and Florida.

“I am thankful for everyone at Piaffe-Performance. We are a team and together we all have big dreams,” Parra said. Parra, who became a United States citizen in 2008 after having a successful riding career in Colombia, is pleased with his supporters – and the feeling is mutual. “Cesar has an outstanding ability to keep high standards all the time. He always wants perfection, and he gets it. When he has a dream, he goes for it. It is a quality that has allowed him to have such a successful business,” said Anna Weiler, of Luebck, Germany, adding that she was in the middle of getting her master’s degree in Germany when she met Claudia Arnold, who was working for Parra at that time. “She spoke so highly of Piaffe Performance and Cesar Parra that I immediately started working for him after I received my master’s degree.”

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Community/Charity, Dressage, JRPR

Pan Am Team Gold Medalist Dr. Cesar Parra Cleared of All Charges after Thorough Investigation

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A vindicated Dr. Cesar Parra stands tall with Sara and Michal Davis’ horse, Van The Man, who he hopes to earn a spot with on the US Olympic team with in June at Gladstone. (Photo courtesy of JRPR)

Whitehouse Station, NJ (May 26, 2012) – It has been a year of triumphs and tribulations for American rider, Dr. Cesar Parra.  In the last 12 months, Parra has enjoyed winning a Team Gold Medal at the Pan Games and the excitement of a new Grand Prix mount with his sights set on making the U.S. team for the 2012 London Olympics. In the same time frame a sad accident that occurred on Parra’s farm in June of 2009 came back into focus in the form of a heinous allegation.

The owner of the horse involved in the 2009 accident and a fellow cohort filed for severe criminal charges against Parra in the Hunterdon County Court.  Parra was shocked and saddened by the allegations but he and the Piaffe Performance team that struggled desperately to help the horse after the accident, stood tall in their convictions that they did everything in their power to help the horse. “I was profoundly saddened by the tragic accident, which solely resulted from circumstances unrelated to my conduct and beyond my control. While working on the lunge line, this horse reared, fell, and hit his head.  Lunging a horse is a very common procedure and on that day in June three years ago, there was no action on my or my staff’s part that could possibly be considered atypical or detrimental to the horse.  Regardless of a trainer’s best efforts to ensure an animal’s safety, accidents of this type can and do occur.”

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Community/Charity, Competitions, Dressage, Events, JRPR, Training/Clinics

Dr. Cesar Parra Has High Hopes for the Future Thanks to Great Horses, Students and Success at Global Dressage Festival Shows

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Dr. Cesar Parra and Van the Man competing at the Global Dressage Festival Nations Cup National Show. (Photo courtesy of SusanJStickle.com)

Wellington, FL (April 25, 2012) – Dr. Cesar Parra and his team at Piaffe Performance have found great success at the winter circuit dressage shows held at the Global Dressage Festival, giving Parra high hopes for the future with his horses and team. The Global Dressage Festival, a brand new world-class facility in Wellington offering more than $275,000 in prize money, has thrilled dressage riders around the world with a 2012 circuit complete with international and national shows.

Para competed Van The Man, a ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood gelding owned by Michael and Sarah Davis, at the Global Dressage Festival Nations Cup National Show, ending with a score of 72.447% in the FEI Grand Prix and a 73.322% in the Olympic Grand Prix Special. “I am very pleased with Van the Man’s performance in the FEI Grand Prix and the Olympic Grand Prix Special. I am looking for Van The Man to build more confidence and continue to become increasingly comfortable in the ring,” Parra said. “His raw talent is incredible, scoring over 72% in Germany. Through each show he is evolving into the magnificent horse we envisioned when he came to our barn earlier this year.”

Continue reading Dr. Cesar Parra Has High Hopes for the Future Thanks to Great Horses, Students and Success at Global Dressage Festival Shows →