dressage athlete Cesar Parra (USA) has been handed a 15-year suspension by the FEI for repeated and serious horse welfare violations, accompanied by fines totaling CHF 25,000. Parra, a high-profile competitor since 1998 who has represented both Colombia and the United States in major international events, was provisionally suspended in February 2024 following multiple allegations and extensive evidence of abusive training methods involving several horses. The FEI’s investigation, conducted in coordination with US Equestrian, found that Parra subjected most of his horses to recurring abuse, leading to formal charges including horse abuse, conduct damaging to the sport’s reputation, and breaches of the FEI Code of Conduct on horse welfare.

The FEI emphasized that the severity and scale of the abuse, especially coming from a top-level athlete, was deeply troubling and underscored the fundamental importance of horse welfare in equestrian sport. Parra is banned from all FEI competitions, events, and related activities, including training FEI-registered athletes and horses, with the suspension effective until February 2039, factoring in the provisional suspension already served. The full decision will be published soon, and Parra has the right to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport within 21 days.