Cesar Parra and Olympia Take Blue, Kassandra Barteau the Red in Intermediaire Freestyle Competition at Devon

Devon, Penn. – If consistency is the mark of success, then Cesar Parra is a clear Devon success. After placing third in CDI Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I competition at this year’s Dressage at Devon, Parra and the 14-year-old Olympia rebounded to take the win with a score of 73.50. That win made a total of 11 Devon wins over the years for Parra.
Even better, he said, his students have nabbed nearly a dozen wins at Devon over the years. “I’m so happy,” he said following his freestyle win on the closing day of Devon’s 35th anniversary. “We finished on a good note and I’m really happy. I love coming to Devon. It feels like home and we have so much fun. It’s just great.”
In the first two days of CDI Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I competition, the leading pair was that of Heather Blitz and the seven-year-old Danish Warmblood gelding Paragon. They won both the Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I, but feel to a tie at sixth in the Intermediaire Freestyle.

Placing second in all three of those classes was Kassandra Barteau riding the 10-year-old gelding Toscano. The pair’s freestyle score was 72.80. It mattered not to judges that she ditched her stock tie part way through her ride. It had come lose and began to flutter and at one point while heading down the long side toward A, Barteau quickly reached up, pulled it off her neck and flung it out of the ring. Taking third in Sunday’s Intermediaire Freestyle was David Marcus and Don Kontes with a 72.10.

Barteau has competed at Devon before but as a young rider. This was her first year competing in open competition and she showed she was clearly up to the task of going up against experienced adults. “I feel great, really great,” she said after her freestyle ride. “I have a super horse. He was really great all weekend.” Also competing at Devon were her parents, Yvonne and Kim Barteau and Kassandra Barteau said it was like a family horse vacation. “We get to shop and have fun and hang out.”

In Young Rider competition, Meagan Davis and Bentley continued to dominate as they have in shows all season. The pair pulled a hat trick taking wins in the Young Rider Team, Individual and Freestyle competitions. Winner in the Junior Freestyle was Julia Burtt riding Aaron VI.