Cesar Parra had a look of pure joy on his face as he finished his canter tour aboard Olympia in the Intermediaire I class this morning, Sept. 26, at Dressage At Devon, and if the roar of the crowd at his final salute wasn’t proof that their test was exceptional, the 72.19 percent they were awarded certainly was.
“I’m always thinking in the ring. I know what the horse can and can’t do, so I negogiate with him. I’m always playing a game in my head like that,” said Parra. “I saw on the score board that the trot tour was great, then the score dropped a little, so I really made the canter work more risky. It was fun.”
The risk paid off for Parra, who also won the Prix St. Georges yesterday with 72.45 percent.
“He’s a bit of a worrier, but he goes in the ring and just does it,” said Parra, Jupiter, Fla. “He never quits, and he’s a wonderful, wonderful horse. He’s not a horse that people go ‘wow’ over, but he’s a worker. I’d rather have those horses you can really rely on.”
Parra has been riding the Dutch Warmblood gelding since March and believes that he has found his niche as a small tour horse.
“The horse is not a Grand Prix horse,” Parra said. “It’d be totally unfair for him to go Grand Prix. He just doesn’t have the strength. I would rather take a loan and keep him [than see someone take him Grand Prix]. We must be more honest with the students and clients. We should tell them, this is what it is, this is what it can and can’t do.”
While Parra is looking forward to the freestyle tomorrow, he is on the lookout for Olympia’s next partner.
“I am going to find the best young rider I can to follow me, he deserves it,” Parra said with a smile. “He’s paid his dues. He deserves a break, and it’s my dream to see him go to a young rider.”
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Don Bailey Sneaks Into Second
While Cabana Boy and Christopher Hickey were primed to take the blue ribbon from Parra after yesterday’s Prix St. Georges, a few uncharacteristic mistakes opened the door for Don Bailey and George Williams, who finished second with 68.77 percent.
“I was very pleased with the ride. He was much more in front of me and much more energetic,” said Williams, Delware, Ohio. “As the ride went on it got better and better. There were a couple of moments that he was a little hesitant, but it really seemed to get much smoother as it went along.”
Williams has had a successful year with the Oldenburg gelding, winning the reserve championship at the National Developing Horse Championships in August. Williams hopes to develop him into a Grand Prix horse.
“He’s a very supple horse and very loose in his way of going. It’s a nice feeling to ride,” said Williams. “We’ve been working a lot on making the changes stronger and straighter and working on strength for the collection.”
Cabana Boy and Hickey finished in third with 67.10 percent, followed closely by Tami Batts and Ranko, also with 67.10 percent. Tom Dvorak and Viva’s Salieri W rounded out the top five.
“Chris [and Cesar] ride thinking about the hind leg,” said Linda Zang, who observed the class. “They excel because they are riding the horses foreward to the hand. It’s good to have that type of ride to achieve to be.”
The Intermediaire I freestyles start tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 27, at 3:00 PM.
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Bulgari 5 Is A Gift For Roffman
After Bulgari 5 was injured at the 2006 National Junior and Young Rider Championships awards ceremony, Caroline Roffman never thought she would compete the talented Hanoverian gelding again.
But after seeing him trotting sound in the field, she decided to give it a shot. Roffman, Wellington, Fla., slowly rehabilitated “Bully,” and her patience and time paid off with a win in the Young Rider individual test at Devon tonight, Saturday, Sept. 26.
“I was very happy with my ride. I went for it a little more than I did yesterday,” said Roffman. “I added a little more brillance.”
The pair certainly glittered in the Dixon Oval, posting a score of 68.23 percent that no one could catch. Kevin Kohmann came close on Dancing Queen with 67.84 percent, and Meagan Davis and Bentley put in another great ride to finish third with 67.15 percent. Yesterday’s winners, Kassie Barteau and GP Raymeister, had a few mistakes and ended up in fourth with 67.05 percent.
Roffman has owned Bully for the past six years and has a special relationship with the horse. She hopes to take him to the Young Rider World Cup in Frankfurt, Germany, in December.
“He’s a special horse, and I won’t have another like him,” said Roffman, 21. “Every day I think I may never have a chance on this horse again. Every ride, even if it’s just walking, I think of how lucky I am to ride him. Every day is a gift.”
The Young Rider freestyle test begins tomorrow, Sunday, Sept. 27, at 8:00 AM.
