Maritza Parra

Maritza Parra has been riding since she can remember. Horses are her number one passion. She was fortunate enough to begin lessons with Maestro Nuno Oliveira and Joao Oliveira in Avessada, Portugal. Maestro and Joao have given dressage riding clinics at the Andalusians De La Parra facilities since the 1980s.

Maritza and her brother, Rafael Alberto, began their riding careers giving exhibitions of classical dressage purely by accident! As a gift for their father’s birthday party, Rafael Alberto and Maritza planned and choreographed a horse show for him.  One of the guests of the party was organizing a charity fundraising event and invited Maritza and Rafael Alberto to perform for The South Texas Kidney Foundation. This resulted in invitations for different charity events over the next thirty years.

Now the Andalusians De La Parra show performs mainly at their facilities in San Antonio, TX for convention events and tour groups. We perform the Dancing Stallion Show and we also conduct The Equine Experience, a two-day workshop pairing humans with horses.

Maritza and her brother, Rafael Alberto, began their riding careers giving exhibitions of classical dressage purely by accident!

Maritza and Rafael taking lessons at Maestro's riding school in Avessada, Portugal. Maritza fondly remembers Alfredo (the horse she is riding in the photo above) with whom she learned at lot. Maestro always changed the horses based on what the riders needed to learn.

Maritza and her orphan horse, Capricho, whom she raised from birth.

Maritza and her orphan horse, Capricho, whom she raised from birth.  His mom, Caprichosa, was one of Maritza’s favorite mares. One summer, Maritza spent so much time with Caprichosa that when she went back to elementary school, Caprichosa refused to eat until Maritza came back from school!

When Caprichosa gave birth to Capricho, there were complications and she passed away. Maritza and her mom, Luz Maritza ran to the supermarket to buy milk and baby bottles while Rafael and Rafael Alberto took a station wagon to the ranch to bring back the newborn foal. Maritza put a hammock in one of the stables and lived in the stables for three months, giving Capricho bottles every three hours!