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.