Dr. Cesar Parra
Dressage Rider, Trainer, Instructor
One of Colombia’s top international riders for much of his career, Dr. Cesar Parra’s version of the American dream came true in 2011 of not only representing the U.S. when he competed Grandioso at the Pan American Games, in Guadalajara, Mexico but helping secure a Team Gold Medal for the USA. True to his philosophy of buying and developing quality horses up to their highest potential, Dr. Cesar Parra sold the 2001 Westfalian gelding by Grosso Z to the Glock Performance Horse Centre in Austria. Another win close to his heart was claiming the 2010 National Intermedaire I Championship at the Collecting Gaits Farm/USEF Dressage Festival of Champions on Olympia owned by Dr. Lori Washington. “It was such a special experience, finally, being able to compete in a National Championship wearing the colors red, white, and blue,” says Dr. Parra with genuine pride. Parra gained his U.S. citizenship in 2008.
Festival of Champions – Parra Wins! Parra’s latest Grand Prix import, Van the Man, a 2002 KWPN gelding by Obelisk received a 73.2% in the Grand Prix Olympic Special at the WEF Wellington Dressage 2012 Nations’ Cup. After the new partnership qualified and competed at the USET 2012 Olympic Selection Trials in Gladstone, NJ, Cesar’s decision to go slow over the summer paid off when a robust looking Van the Man won the Saugerties CDI-W FEI Grand Prix and placed second in the Olympic Grand Prix Special. The duo’s momentum continued at 2012 Dressage at Devon placing third in the Grand Prix. Most recently the pair won the Grand Prix Freestyle at the 2013 Nations Cup with a 74.3% and they walked away as the highest placing American pair with Individual and Team Silver.
Another horse in the wings, Lindner, a 2005 Westfalen gelding received an 80.7% in a First level test early this year and won both his third Level tests at Saugerties, NY this fall. “He is truly a performance horse and we look forward to seeing what he can do in the higher levels.”
A Traveling Man
From the Olympic Trials and shopping trips to Germany, Dr. Cesar Parra returns to his roots to teach several clinics in Colombia each summer and early fall. He plans to add Argentina to his clinic schedule as well. He believes in creating international bridges for talent and learning, where energy and passion between instructors and students fuels a higher level for the job of training both riders and horses.
Born: Ibague, Colombia, SA
Citizen: United States of America
Academic Background
High School San Luis Gonzaga School, Ibague, 1978
College Colegio Odontologico, Colombiano, Bogotá, 1982
Boston University Masters Degree in Science of Dentistry
Languages: Spanish, English, German
Member of the High Performance List for Dressage United States of America
Education: Dressage
Herbert Rehbein (Q.E.P.D. – May He Rest in Peace), Gröenwoldhof, Germany, 1995-1997 Herbert Kuckluck, Schaffhof, Frankfurt, Germany, 1997-1999 Siegfried Peilicke, Warendorf, Germany, 1998 -2002 Hans Rueben, Aachen, Germany 2002 – 2003 Hubertus Schmidt, Paderborn, Germany since 2003 Dr. Volker Moritz, Germany since 2004
Letter Deutsche Reiterliche Vereinigung E.V.
Letter Frankfurter Turnierstall Schwarz Gelb E.V.
Professional Associations
International Dressage Trainer Club United States Dressage Federation United States Equestrian Federation International Dressage Riders Club
Education: Judging and Training (Highlights)
Official FEI Dressage Judges Course Conducted By Eric Lette, 1996
Course from the Colombian National Federation by Wojteck Markowski, 1997
USDF Trainers Conference, 2002
North American Trainers Club, 2003
Global Dressage Forum, Holland 2003
Judges meeting with Mariette Withages, March 2003
Workshop for trainers and judges with Mariette Withages, Bogotá, Colombia, 2004
Workshop for Judges, Trainers and Riders with Mariette Withages, Raymond Withages, Linda Zang and Hubertus Schmidt, 2005
ESDCTA Trainers, Judges and Competitors Symposium with Linda Zang, 2005
USDF Trainers Conference with Hubertus Schmidt, 2006
USDF Trainers Conference 2013
Dressage Career Highlights
Hundreds of wins in International Competition
Trained over 30 horses from young horses to FEI
2017
Qualified for and competed in Longines FEI World Breeding Championships 7 year old division
2016
Reserve Champion USEF/Markel Young Horse Championship 6 year old division
Reserve Champion USEF/Markel Developing Horse Championship PSG Division
2014
Competed in World Cup Final in Lyon, France
2013
Winner of Grand Prix freestyle, Team Silver, Individual Silver and highest placing American at the Nations Cup 2013
2012
USEF/ Markel Young Horse Championships, 6 Year Old Division Reserve Champion
6 Year Old Champion at Devon
2011
Member USA team- Gold Medal winners Pan American Games
2010
USA National Champion Intermediare 1
Small Tour Hat Trick at Devon
2007
2007 Winner USEF/Markel Young horse Dressage Eastern Selection Trial 6 year old division
2006
2006 Winner of several CDI Grand Prix, including Freestyle at Dressage at Devon
Participant World Equestrian Games, Aachen
2005
Competed in the World Cup Finals
8th Place Grand Prix at CHIO Aachen
Winner Grand Prix Freestyle at CDI Dressage at Devon
Winner Grand Prix Freestyle at CDI Zada Enterprises Florida Dressage Classic
2004
Winner of Small Tour (Prix St. Georges, Intermediaire I and Intermediaire Freestyle) and High Score FEI at CDI Dressage at Devon with Pik L
4th Place Intermediaire Freestyle at CHIO Aachen with Pik L
8th place Grand Prix Special at CHIO Aachen with Galant du Serein
Qualified for and competed in the Olympic Games in Athens with Galant du Serein
2003
4th Individual Pan-American Games, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
37 FEI wins, including Small Tour Hat trick at Miami CDI-W***, Halifax CDI*** and Dressage at Devon CDI***
ESDCTA President’s Cup Trophy for highest FEI score
Brig Gen Cole Trophy for highest PSG score,ESDCTA Year End Show
Two Diamond Stud Awards
2002
Qualified and Competed in World Equestrian Games, Jerez, Spain
ESDCTA President’s Cup Trophy for highest FEI score
Brig Gen Cole Trophy for highest PSG score, ESDCTA Year End Show
2001
Multiple FEI wins, with scores above 70% in Florida
ESDCTA President’s Cup Trophy for highest FEI score
Brig Gen Cole Trophy for highest PSG score,
ESDCTA Year end show
2000
January 2000, sold Wall Street, who placed 9th Individually in Olympic Games, Sydney USDF Gold Medal
Florida Circuit: Nine consecutive FEI wins, including three at grand prix, in 11 starts
Brig Gen Cole Trophy for highest PSG score, ESDCTA Year end show
1999
Named to the Colombian Olympic Athletic Association
Silver Medal Team and Fifth Individual Pan-American Games, Winnipeg, Canada
Champion Wartebach Cup, Germany
Colombian National Champion Grand Prix
1998
Gold Medal Team, Individual and Overall, Central American and Caribbean Games, Caracas, Venezuela
1998
Colombian National Champion Grand Prix
1997
Gold Medal Team and Silver Medal Individual Bolivarian Games, Lima, Peru
Sportsman of the Year for Equestrian Sports in Colombia
Champion F.E.I World Challenge, Bogota, Colombia
Colombian National Champion Grand Prix
1996
Champion Samsung Cup, Bogota, Colombia
Colombian National Champion
Coaching Achievements
Over 13 Medals at the North American Young Rider Championships
Multiple Adult Amateurs and Young Riders win Regional Championships through Grand Prix
US National Dressage Championships Pony Champion and Reserve Champion
Team Gold and Individual Gold and Bronze at Columbian National Games and Championships
Multiple riders winning medals at Pan American Games
Multiple riders competing at United States Young Horse Championship
5 Year Old Champion 2013
3rd Place Developing Grand Prix
Coached multiple riders to compete at the Nations Cups
USDF Gold Medal earned by multiple riders
USDF Silver Medal earned by multiple riders
USDF Bronze Medal earned by multiple riders
Coaching riders to multiple wins in CDI’s in the USA and abroad.
Dr. Cesar Parra
14 Shade Lane
Whitehouse Station NJ 08889
+1(410) 977-8352
+1(908)534-6350
drcesarparra@msn.com
