Grandioso and Cesar Parra Sweep CDI Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire Competition at IHSPB

Posted by By WDN Staff at 30 March, at 21 : 40 PM Print

Loxahatchee, Florida – Grandioso emerged a clear contender for a spot on America’s Pan American Dressage team after a clean sweep with scores over 70 percent in CDI Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire competition at the recent International Horse Sport Palm Beach Champions Cup, held March 24-27 at the Horse Park at Equestrian Estates. Grandioso, ridden by Cesar Parra, started his winning streak on Friday with a win in the CDI Prix St. Georges with a score of 71.579 percent. His next win came on Saturday with a score of 73.114 in the CDI Intermediaire I. And then on Sunday, the 10-year-old Westfalen gelding, owned by Michael and Sarah Davis, won the CDI Intermediaire Freestyle with a score of 73.950 percent.

Grandioso’s success could help Parra achieve his goal of riding for a U.S. team. Parra had much international success riding for his native Colombia but since becoming a U.S. citizen his dream has been to be on a U.S. team. “It was a privilege representing my native country in international competition,” Parra said. “But it would be a great honor and I would be very proud to represent my new country.”

With Jason Canton as rider and trainer, Grandioso was a champion young horse winning the Six-Year-Old Young Horse National Championship in 2007. The gelding was purchased by the Davis family in 2009 and put in training with Parra. The IHS Palm Beach CDI was the first CDI competition for Grandioso and his debut was impressive. But Parra said the real talent of the gelding has yet to be seen. “He scored over 70 percent in all three classes and I rode extremely conservative.”

The next CDI outing for Grandioso and Parra will be in New Jersey in May. Their goal this year is to qualify for the U.S. National Dressage Championships and Pan Am Selection Trials in Gladstone, New Jersey this summer with the hope of making the U.S. Dressage Team heading to the Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico in October. If successful in that goal, Parra and the Davis family have a stage two to their plan – come back from the Pan Am Games and start their run for a spot on the U.S. 2012 Olympic Dressage Team. “It’s been done before and Grandioso is a fantastic horse. He has the talent to do it,” Parra said. “His name says it all – Grandioso. He has a great body and mind and he’s a real fighter in the ring. He loves his work and is already doing much of the grand prix. His flying changes and one tempis are super. He really loves the one tempis.”

Parra said he believes that Grandioso’s own talent, combined with a winning support team, is a recipe for success. “We have a great family behind us, the Davis family and my family. Katie Riley is my daily eyes on the ground and Grandioso’s groom, Jen Mandracia, really loves him and takes great care of him.” That care includes near daily walks and time spent each day out grazing.

Placing second in both the CDI Prix St. Georges with a score of 68.860 and in the Intermediaire I with a score of 70.570 was Robbie W, an eight-year-old Oldenburg gelding ridden by Diane Creech and owned by Leatherdale Farms. Third place in both the CDI Prix St. Georges with a score of 68.202 and in the Intermediaire I with a score of 70.088 was the 13-year-old Hanoverian stallion Fred Astaire, ridden and owned by Tom Noone. In the CDI Intermediaire Freestyle second place went to Lisa Wilcox and Pikko Del Cerro HU with a score of 70.225 and third went to Crystal Kroetch and Lymrix with a score of 69.800.

In CDI Grand Prix competition, the 11-year-old gelding Rhett took blue in Friday’s Grand Prix de Dressage. Ridden by James Koford and owned by Shirley McQuillan, Rhett finished on a score of 67.489. Second went to Ayscha, owned and ridden by Shannon Dueck, with a score of 66.362. Coming in third with a score of 66.255 was Raja, owned and ridden by Australian Kelly Layne. In Saturday’s CDI Grand Prix Special, the winner was Susan Dutta riding Currency DC to a score of 67.021. Koford and Rhett finished second on a score of 66.479 and Dueck and Ayscha took third with 65.971. Sunday’s CDI Grand Prix Freestyle was won by Arlene Page and Alina with a score of 72.650. They also won Saturday’s CDI Grand Prix de Dressage with a score of 67.532. Coming in second in that class was Jacqueline Brooks and Gran Gesto with a score of 65.851. Evi Strasser and Action Tyme finished third with 65.00.

Photo by Sharon Packer

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