Dr. Cesar Parra

A New Future with Ferragamo and Cinnco de Mayo

One of those talented youngsters in his barn is a horse he co-owned with Michael Cable named Ferragamo. Cesar’s ability to spot a good horse and bring it along was clearly evident in Ferragamo, who was recently sold. During the Florida winter circuit at the Wellington Classic Dressage Challenge I , the five-year-old Ferragamo, a sibling of Furst Fabio and sired by Fidemark, scored one of those elusive 10s and ended up as the high score winner with a score of 82.4 in his first Training Level test.

It’s a sign of Cesar’s generosity he gave the ride on Ferragamo during the winter season to his student, Claudia Arnold. “She’s earned the right to a good horse,” Cesar said. “And Claudia and he look good together.” He has little doubt that Ferragamo “is a world class horse. He’s got a world class trot, a good walk and a good canter. In only his first month in the barn he learned the changes and everything else.”

Cesar himself was back in action in the FEI ring at the start of the 2008 season with a wonderful new mount. He acquired the ride on the eight-year-old Cinnco de Mayo. The German-bred Warmblood had been the horse of Olympian John Winnett, who passed away last fall at the age of 79. After visiting with Cesar, Winnett’s widow, Roanne Denny, offered the horse to him. It was a wise pairing because Cesar and Cinnco scored more than 74 percent in only their second Intermediaire II.

"He’s a world-class horse. At eight-years-old, he already knows all the Grand Prix movements. And every movement is worthy of an 8. Whether he can put them all together in a Grand Prix isn’t known yet,” Cesar said. “He is an amazing horse. He’s a really, really good horse. I’ve only ridden him four times, but you can see that he could be a contender for an international team. He’s very big and very elegant. And, he really seems to have fun at the shows and that’s good. I want him to have fun.”

There is little doubt in Cesar’s mind that Cinnco de Mayo has what it takes to make it to an international team. And that team just might be an American one, even if Cesar is riding him. A native of Colombia, 2008 also marks the year that Cesar will finally gain his U.S. citizenship.