Dr. Cesar Parra

Success in America

As his international reputation developed, Cesar made the decision to leave Colombia. With the help of Linda Zang, he moved permanently to the United States with his wife Marcela and their two children. After his arrival in the U.S., Cesar scored nine wins in 11 starts in international classes in Florida in 2001. He has won well over 300 FEI classes to date. He has also became a very sought-after teacher.

Cesar’s passion for the sport carries over into his teaching as well. His students have described him as "enthusiastically intense." As one student said, "He wants to help you break through to where you're better. He puts pressure on you until you get better; he's not satisfied until you improve." Cesar's teaching style allows students to learn to ride on their own, but when they need help he is right there to take them to the next level of achievement.

Some may describe him as a perfectionist, others as a workaholic. He encourages horses and people to develop a good work ethic at his barn, and to enjoy what they're doing. "I like to push the limit," he said. "I want people to realize that they can go through much more than the limits they thought they had. We really enjoy it. It is a team effort and therefore a team environment"

Cesar has a strong group of students under his tutelage. "I like teaching people who are willing to learn," he said. "I enjoy it when students learn something and when you see the horse and rider improve. I like students with clear goals." That doesn't mean he will only teach professionals though. "An amateur who wants to ride and have fun makes a good student as long as they understand they have to work if they want to be an FEI rider."

But when it comes to training and rider, the person Cesar is hardest on is himself. "I'm always thinking of performing at my top level, at my best. Every day when I ride, I'm only thinking of achieving the best relationship and performance between my horse and me. Dressage for me is like going to church. I'm very serious about it but at the same time I keep the fun of it.”

In addition to a Florida farm, Cesar’s northern base is Performance Farm in New Jersey. The 27-acre farm is located close to Highways 287 and 78 in Whitehouse Station – 20 miles west of Manhattan . "It's a beautiful place," he said. "The indoor has beautiful arches with windows. It's built in the classic old German style. In the indoor arena, you only see beautiful wood arches, not the structural components. It is a clean, open look. It is my church. "