48 SIDELINES JULY 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
A native of Colombia, South America, Cesar Torrente is
an international dressage judge and an FEI level dressage
competitor. He is the frst judge to be promoted through the new
FEI 3* program.
Cesar has had the honor of standing on the medal podium to
receive the team gold medal two times in the Central American
Games. He is a corporate lawyer by profession and despite
traveling the globe to judge worldwide, he maintains the precarious
balance between his career and his passion for horses with
apparent ease. He is known in the dressage world as a “rider’s
judge,” because he knows what it is like to be in the judge’s box,
as well as the sandbox we call the dressage ring.
Best of all, Cesar exudes warmth and is most often found with a
smile on his face. Sidelines was fortunate to catch up with him just
days before he left to judge in Greece.
What inspired you to become an international judge?
I took my frst dressage judges seminar at the age of 18 with
Mr. Jaap Pot, a four-time Olympic Judge. I was fascinated about
his knowledge of the rules and of the sport and that is when I
decided that I would like to become an international judge.
Just being around the sport that I so deeply loved, was enough
encouragement for me. However, riding was always my frst
priority and for many years I was a member of the Colombian
Equestrian Team for the Pan Am Games and Central and South
American Games. Even though I judged many national shows
and took all possible national and international seminars, I never
applied for an offcial accreditation.
Why did you fnally decide to seek accreditation?
Two years ago, the idea was still revolving in my head and one
day I was looking at the rules and I saw the new age limit for
judges. I decided that it was time to do it – that it was now or never.
How does your experience as a dressage competitor effect
your judging?
When you have experienced “the good, the bad and the ugly”
as a rider, I believe, as a judge, you have a better chance to give
the exact and required score for any specifc movement that you
are confronted with in a test. You know how important it is to get
the credit for the good and very good moments, you also know
that sometimes a little defense in a young horse is just a matter of
dealing with a living animal that cannot be judged as a machine,
and at the same time you also know that if something goes wrong
the score must go down.
What are your feelings about the FEI 3 Star program?
I believe that the FEI has made a very important effort in
creating an entire new educational program for dressage judges.
It assures that once a judge is promoted or maintained on the list
is because he has enough knowledge, experience and exposure
to do well at shows. Therefore this assures riders that the judging
will be as good as possible.
I am happy about being the frst 2* and 3* judge promoted as
a result of the new FEI system and I feel blessed that I had the
opportunity and time to do all the required travels and to have
received great advise from many wonderful competent judges
from all over around the globe in seminars, courses, sit ins and
shadow judgings. This is what makes the new system work.
How has being an attorney infuenced your riding and
judging?
I am a corporate lawyer and an arbitrator for commercial
matters and in such a capacity you must always keep studying the
rules and the cases in order to give your clients the best possible
advice and to render legal, good and fair awards for the parties. I
believe that exactly the same thing applies to a dressage judge.
You must be committed and open to a never ending educational
process and you must treat every ride as a new case brought
to your consideration, without allowing previous names or rides
interfere with your judgment.
Photos courtesy of Cesar Torrente
Cesar, left, judging in Mexico City this year, stands with the class
winner Antonio Rivera.
Here Comes The Judge!
e
Dressage
Winning the gold medal at the South American Games in
Colombia. From left to right: Eduardo Munoz, Cesar Torrente,
Diana Rey and Raul Corchuelo