The United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) has expressed full support for the FEI Tribunal’s decision to suspend Cesar Parra for 15 years due to violations related to horse welfare. The suspension, which began provisionally on February 2, 2024, will remain in effect until February 1, 2039. In addition, Parra has been fined CHF 15,000 and ordered to pay CHF 10,000 in legal costs.
When USEF first received horse welfare complaints involving Parra in early 2024, its rules did not allow the organization to take disciplinary action for incidents occurring outside of sanctioned competitions. As a result, the matter was referred to the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI), which had the authority to investigate under its existing regulations.
Since then, USEF has implemented a new rule, GR838, which broadens its disciplinary jurisdiction to include unethical treatment of horses occurring both within and outside the context of Federation competitions.
“As a federation, we have strengthened our rules to ensure we are empowered to take action when horse safety and welfare are at risk—regardless of where the incident occurs,” said USEF CEO Bill Moroney. “Parra’s repeated and documented behavior has no place in equestrian sport, and we are committed to enforcing the FEI Tribunal’s ruling. We thank the FEI for its thorough investigation and commitment to horse welfare.”
