Tag Archives: USEF Young and Developing Horse National Championships

Championships, Competitions, Dressage, USEF

Piaffe Performance Prevails at USEF Young and Developing Horse National Championships

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Cesar Parra and Fashion Designer OLD (Photo courtesy of Susan J Stickle).

Wayne, Illinois (September 7, 2016) – Piaffe Performance Farm founder and owner Dr. Cesar Parra rode not just one but two horses to Reserve Champion finishes at the Markel/USEF Young and Developing Dressage Horse National Championships at the Lamplight Equestrian Center in Wayne, Illinois on August 24-28. Fashion Designer OLD, an eight-year-old Oldenburg gelding (Faustinus x De Niro) owned by Martin Sosnoff and Parra, took Reserve in the Developing Prix St. Georges division. Don Cesar, a six-year-old Westphalian gelding (Desperados x Sacre Schwalbe, Manhattan) owned by Marcela Ortiz Parra, wowed the judges with brilliant tests in the Six-Year-Old division.

With these successful results, Parra and his team at Piaffe Performance Farm in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey and Jupiter, Florida once again showcased their proven formula for producing champion horses. Since 1999, the team has showcased their commitment to meticulously training horses for high performance by correctly judging the various stages of a horse’s mental and physical development. The team’s proven training program and strong dedication to the proper development of their horses from start to finish is their blueprint for success. Piaffe Performance horses and riders have earned numerous prestigious accolades nationally and internationally.

“I love the Markel/USEF Young and Developing Horse program; I think it is fantastic,” Parra explained. “This program is an incentive to keep training the right way, in the right line, because there are no shortcuts. If you try to rush young horses in these classes without having the basics, then you won’t be successful. The program allows us to set goals, and commit ourselves to keep working towards achieving them.”

Parra and Don Cesar earned scores of 82.80 percent in the FEI Six-Year-Old Preliminary Test and 85.40 percent in the FEI Six-Year-Old Final test for an impressive combined score of 84.360 percent. Parra and Fashion Designer OLD notched scores above 70 percent in both the FEI Prix St. Georges and the USEF Developing Prix St. George for a total of 70.440 percent.

“What an amazing weekend! I feel blessed and privileged to have two Reserve Champion horses,” Parra said. “Thank you to my family, my team, all the sponsors, trainers, and colleagues that helped to make this possible. I am so incredibly proud of these two horses and feel very blessed to be their rider.

“When you train horses from when they are young, you sometimes get the feeling like a proud parent when they start to really excel,” Parra continued. “Fashion and Don Cesar are both such special horses, and I knew that as soon as I saw them. I have a saying that you have to believe, and then you have to go to work. Both parts are necessary to bring a young horse along, as there will be bumps along the way for sure.”

Parra and the Piaffe Performance Team added their most recent success to a history of top finishes at the Markel/USEF Young and Developing Dressage Horse National Championships. Both horses have successfully competed at these National Championships in prior years, with Fashion Designer OLD taking his victory lap by claiming the top spot in the Five-Year-Olds division. Don Cesar and Fashion Designer OLD join prior stalemates including Toy Story, Zanzibar, Fiderhit OLD, and Simply Nymphenburg to Piaffe Performance’s resume of horses that have competed at this National Championship.

Besides being a former Olympic athlete and Pan American Games Dressage Team Gold Medalist, Parra has also qualified for the FEI World Breeding Championships for Young Horses in Verden, Germany with Fashion Designer OLD and Fiderhit OLD. In addition, Parra has competed with numerous horses in every USEF Festival of Champions since 2010. Not only has he had his own success in multiple USEF National Dressage Championships, but Parra has also effectively coached youth riders to many National Championship competitions.

Piaffe Performance’s next destination is the much anticipated Dressage at Devon show on September 30 – October 2. The iconic show held in Devon, Pennsylvania has been a significant stop on Piaffe Performance’s annual schedule for many years. Because Piaffe Performance’s home base is in nearby New Jersey, many friends and students of Piaffe Performance come to watch and support their fellow team riders at the prominent Pennsylvania show.

To be a part of the Piaffe Performance winning tradition, visit www.piaffe-performance.com. There, you can learn about training, lessons, and sales services that can help put you join Piaffe Performance in the ribbons.

Contact: Dr. Cesar Parra
Piaffe-Performance Farm
(410) 977-8352
www.piaffe-performance.com

Championships, Dressage, USEF, USEF

Gallant Reflection HU & WakeUp Earn Titles at USEF Young & Developing Horse Nat’l Championships

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Lisa Wilcox and Gallant Reflection HU (SusanJStickle.com)

Wayne, Ill. – Competition at the 2015 Markel/USEF Young and Developing Horse National Championships came to a close this afternoon at the Lamplight Equestrian Center with the final two National Championship titles being awarded. In the Six-Year-Old division, Gallant Reflection HU ridden by Lisa Wilcox continued to impress and was named National Champion. Taking top honors in the Developing Horse Grand Prix, WakeUp and Emily Miles earned their third National Champion title.

Markel/USEF Six-Year-Old Young Horse Dressage National Championship

Winning the Six-Year-Old division, Wilcox (Loxahatchee, Fla.) and Gallant Reflection HU, a Zweibrucker stallion, bred and owned by Horses Unlimited Inc., marked the second win for the partnership of Wilcox and Horses Unlimited Inc. in this division, having won in 2009 with Pikko Del Cerro HU. The pair took the commanding lead on Friday in the preliminary test and elevated their performance further in today’s final test to score an 8.200, for an overall score of 8.136. The final test was highlighted by the stallion’s trot tour, which earned a score of 8.800.

“I was very happy, especially with my canter tour, which was better today. The trot tour was also very nice and flowing. In the walk, I was able to let him out more than I trusted to let him out in the first test. I also liked my walk pirouettes; they felt rhythmic and forward,” said Wilcox.

Also maintaining her position on the leaderboard, Miles (LaCygne, Kan.) rode Floretienne, owned by Leslie Waterman and bred by Judy Yancey, to the Reserve Champion title. The Oldenburg gelding earned 7.800 for both his trot and canter, exhibiting clear rhythm and cadence in today’s final test for an overall score of 7.836.

“He was a really good boy. I had a mistake in the walk, but it was because I was maybe pushing too much to keep him active. I feel so lucky to have him,” said Miles.

Climbing one spot up on the leaderboard, Patricia Becker (Wadsworth, Ill.) and Joan Pecora’s KWPN gelding, Edward, put in a solid final test to finish second in the class on a score of 7.820, for an overall score of 7.740.

“Edward was really relaxed and obedient today. He scored the highest in his trot [an 8], which is typical for him, but I felt his canter was really obedient and uphill, which made the changes super supple and very confirmed. His transitions are always really good. He has a super temperament – just enough edge to make him interesting to ride and watch, but level headed enough to do the work,” said Becker.

Markel/USEF Developing Horse Grand Prix Dressage National Championship

WakeUp, an American Warmblood stallion bred by Beverly McLean, earned his third National Championship title today with rider and owner, Miles. WakeUp previously won in the Young Horse division as a six-year-old in 2011 and the Developing Horse Prix St. Georges in 2013. Today’s final test showcased the stallion’s brilliant cadence to score a 68.458%, for an overall score of 69.934%.

Emily Miles and WakeUp (SusanJStickle.com)
Emily Miles and WakeUp (SusanJStickle.com)

“WakeUp was awesome. It was a clean test and he was a good boy; I am thrilled with it because it’s an excellent way to go out as his final test at these championships. Everything he has given me so far has been brilliant, so everything else is icing on the cake,” said Miles.

Finishing as the Reserve National Champion was Equestricons ET Viola ridden by Marcus Orlob (Annandale, N.J.). Equestricons ET Viola, a Hanoverian gelding, owned by ET Adventure LLC and bred by Britta White, was consistent through the final test to score 67.333%, for an overall score of 67.628%.

“I gave him a little too much fire today, so that was an error on my part; otherwise he did a great job. He’s a great horse and I am really happy with him,” said Orlob.

Taking third overall was the 2012 Five-Year-Old Young Horse Reserve National Champion, Elfenfeuer, owned and ridden by Alice Tarjan and bred by Ewald Grotelueshen. The pair was fourth after the preliminary test, but was able to move up a notch on the leaderboard on the strength of a solid final test, scoring 66.375%, for an overall score of 66.509%.

“Today was definitely better than our first test even though we still struggled with balance issues. She’s grown up so much this weekend; she’s really come along,” said Tarjan.

From the USEF Communications Department