2004 Dressage at Devon - Performance Division

Dr. Cesar Parra and Pik L Confirm Intermediaire I Supremacy

October 5, 2004

"To win in Devon is one thing, to win it two years in a row is another," a proud Dr. Cesar Parra said after his victorious rides at 2004 Dressage at Devon. The Colombian born Cesar Parra became the Devon Small Tour Champion, winning the Prix St Georges and Intermediaire I Freestyle, and placing second in the Intermediaire I. At the end of the show, he was honored as the FEI High Point Champion of the weekend, producing the best results of all FEI riders competing at the Devon CDI 2004.

Riding Ann Whitten's Hanoverian licensed stallion Pik L (by Pik Bube II x Abajo xx), Parra had a smile on his face in every ride. With a score of 70.917% in the Prix St Georges, Parra wielded the axe of power in a field of 40 professional and top amateur competitors. The trot half passes and flying changes were absolutely superb, and only in the extended trots there was some loss of rhythm and power.

In the Intermediaire I, Pik L looked even better with more carried extended trots and two beautiful canter pirouettes. The walk pirouette even earned him a "10" from the judge at C, Mr. Maurel from France. Parra finished second with a 70.000% score.

In the Intermediaire I Freestyle, Parra reinstated his winning streak and claimed victory once again on Pik L. Riding a kur based on Spanish music, Parra scored 74.583% and was placed first unanimously by a panel of five international judges.

"It's a dream come true to win here again," Parra said, "I'm very happy to keep the horse in top form and to keep winning. This is a result of our season in Europe."

Dr. Cesar Parra was the first Colombian dressage rider representing his country at the 2004 Olympic Equestrian Games in Athens, Greece. Aboard Horses Unlimited's French breeding stallion Galant du Serein, Parra had the experience of a life time in Europe preparing for the Games and riding in Athens.

"I learned a lot in Europe and am starting to mature as a rider," Parra explained. "You have to have your own riding. You learn from a master, you don't copy him. You say to yourself, 'this is what I have do' and you follow your instincts."

After having gone to the Olympic Games -- the ultimate goal of every competitive dressage rider -- winning at Devon was just the icing on the cake. "It is the best tribute I could give to my trainer, my owners and friends who have all worked so hard. Without them, I wouldn't have been anywhere. Especially Ann Whitten and her mother Marylee Sparks have been great. They are really strong supporters. I'm always very happy to call them and say that we've won again," Parra rejoiced.

The 2004 show season has been a very stressful one. "It felt like I was running against the clock," Parra explained, "going from one qualifier to another." Fortunately, this will change in 2005. "Now, I'm going to take my time and see what is best for the horse. The key to things in life is timing," he said.

Cesar Parra confessed that he very much enjoys staying home and training his horses, even though he shows extensively in the States and Europe. "My joy is everyday. Show is work, staying at home is fun. I always say, 'we don't need a vacation, every day is a holiday'."

Parra continues looking forward to the future and has already set up a plan for the 2005 show season. "I want to ride Pik L at Grand Prix level for breeding purposes. I want to show them that he's good enough and can be a Grand Prix horse." With his Olympic horse Galant du Serein (by Apache d'Adriers x Jalme de Mesnuls), Parra wants to raise his standard and be able to score 70%, already having received 68-69% scores in judges' clinics.

Besides Pik L and Galant du Serein, Parra has a good line up of young talent coming along. "I have a strong stream of horses behind, which are even better than the ones in front." One of those young stars is the Westfalian gelding Charming Boy, a dark bay Casaretto x Ehrentusch who is currently competing Fourth level. Norelja, a grey Dutch warmblood mare who finished in the top ten at the 2001 World Young Horse Championships in Verden, is Parra's up and coming Prix St Georges horse. In Europe, Parra has the 6-year old Daylight, who competed at the German Young Horse Championships, and the 3-year old licensed stallion Lord of Dancing.

Even though Parra has been living in the United States since 1999, he is still very much in touch with Colombia. "I speak with my parents on the phone every day, and am going to Colombia in November for a clinic. I want to lift the spirit there in the sport." His life in America has been a dream, but Parra is not betraying his Colombian roots. "My father set a few rules before I left for the U.S.," Parra confessed, "the kids had to speak Spanish, listen to a lot of Spanish music and eat Colombian food. They all do that."

The horse business involves a very small community with a niche audience, but Cesar Parra surpasses the cocoon of the dressage world by conducting humanitarian work in Colombia. "We have established a foundation called "Abrazar" (to hug a child) which helps single mothers and children in need by providing them medical and financial help and by giving them an education. We buy them breakfast and lunch and pay their bus tickets."

The Abrazar foundation supports children, who live in the Armenia area, the capital of coffee growers. Because of the pesticides used over the years, Armenia has a large population of deformed children with cleft palates and split lips. Many wives have been abandoned by their husbands, because they blame the women for giving birth to disabled children.

The Abrazar Foundation was created by Cesar Parra and his friend from the dental school in Bogota, Colombia, and has grown into a huge project. "We've been doing it for 7 years now and it has become a really serious foundation. We started with a budget of 3,000$ USD a month and it has now grown to 8,000$ USD a month. This means 24,000,000 pesos in Colombia, which is very hard to raise. Next year we will have to start organizing fund raisers if we want to continue the project. More than 685 kids depend on our support," Parra stated.

Text and Photos By Astrid Appels of Eurodressage.com, exclusively for HorsesDaily.com

Related Links: Who's Who: Dr. Cesar Parra

Back to the Devon Index