Wellington, FL – March 28, 2012 – Mr. Cesar A. Hirsch is a passionate equestrian who began riding horses as a child in Venezuela and has spring boarded his interest in the sport into an international career.
Hirsch grew up with a passion for horses and has been participating in equestrian sports since 1979. He competed both individually and on teams in local and international jumping events. His interest in the sport led to training and preparation as a course director, chief steward, and judge of these competitions as well, which granted him the highest acknowledgement of the International Equestrian Federation (FEI), the international governing body of equestrian sport.
The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic program since 1912 with three disciplines: Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. The FEI is based on the principle of equality and mutual respect between all 133 affiliated National Federations, and are the sole controlling authority for all international events in Dressage & Para-Equestrian Dressage, Jumping, Eventing, Driving & Para-Equestrian Driving, Endurance, Vaulting, and Reining. They establish the regulations and approve equestrian programmes at Championships, Continental and Regional Games as well as the Olympic Games. They promote equestrianism in all its forms and encourage the development of the FEI equestrian disciplines throughout the world, keeping the welfare of the horse at the heart of all our activities. The FEI designates show jumping events with international ratings from one to five; a CSI 5* (or five-star) event being the largest and most prestigious.
Having gone through a rigorous application procedure, Hirsch is a certified International level-3 rated judge and has served in several major roles for local and international competitions.
Cesar Hirsch with the 2011 Pan American Games officials
He has served as President and Foreign Judge as well as Chief Steward and President of Ground Jury (designated as the FEI Official at international level jumping events) at hundreds of events over the past 15 years, including four consecutive Pan American Games (Winnipeg, Santo Domingo, Rio de Janeiro, and Guadalajara); all International Olympic Committee (IOC) events in the Americas – the Bolivarian Games, Central American Games, Central American and Caribbean Games, and the Pan American Games – for three consecutive cycles; the South American Championships; the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games; FEI World Challenge Final (in Chile and Guatemala); at the prestigious Spruce Meadows tournaments; and several five-star events around the world.
Hirsch has also been appointed as the President and Foreign Member of the Appeal Committee of the FEI in many international jumping events, including the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Canada, and the CSI 5* Athina Onassis International Horse Show in Brazil for the past six years since its inception.
As President of Ground Jury at the North American Junior Young Rider Championships, Hirsch will be responsible for many details and all aspects of competition, including certifying placings, presiding over all of the judges, and serving as the final decision maker on judging at the event.
He has also expanded his role in the industry to serve as the Chef d’Equipe (team coach) at various international competitions like the Central American Games, where his team won the silver medal and the individual gold medal, and the CSIO 5* Nations Cup in the United States.
He has been a part of the organizing committee at 35 international events, and has been named the Steward General for Venezuela, which is the highest authority in the country and the direct connection to the FEI. Hirsch oversees all stewards in Venezuela, teaches courses to educate them, and represented the region in a new FEI group that is tasked with creating a new education program and categories for stewards worldwide.
At the medal presentation for the 2011 Pan American Games
In 2012, Hirsch will be a FEI Olympic Assessment Delegate, which means he will represent the FEI to make sure the level of show jumping and technical aspects of competition are followed at the competition in Xalapa, Mexico, for riders to gain their certificate of capability for the Olympic Games.
He will also serve as the Chief Steward at the CSIO 4*-W in Porto Alegre, Brazil, which will host a Nations Cup team competition and a World Cup qualifier. There he will give an educational course for all of the stewards in Brazil. As the Foreign Judge for the World Cup qualifier in San Diego, CA, Hirsch will be responsible for judging the competition and sending to FEI all of the competition results, plus a report on the organization, quality, and technical aspects of event, ensuring that the show meets the FEI standards.
By serving in a variety of roles at equestrian events worldwide, he can bring this experience and education back to the United States to help serve at events here and be a respected and sought-after official. He can then use that to help educate others in this country.
With his extensive experience at the top levels of equestrian sport, Hirsch has shown his extraordinary ability and been recognized by the sport’s governing bodies. Hirsch’s ability to arbitrate and approach riders makes him extremely good at a complex and difficult job. As a Chief Steward and judge, Hirsch must know the rule books of both the FEI and the United States Equestrian Federation so that he can officiate at the competition and make sure exhibitors are following the rules.
Hirsch’s professional achievements and his ethical values support his recent appointment as Official Technical Ambassador of Just World International, a non-profit international organization that promotes the integration of under privileged children into worldwide development.
Hirsch was also the Founder and President of Avance Ecuestre, a non-governmental and non-profit organization in Venezuela, which promoted the development of equestrian sports. Avance Ecuestre, well-known for the promotion of educational courses and seminars on equestrian topics, was also involved in the organization of equestrian sporting events. These tasks have been acknowledged by the International Equestrian Federation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, when Mr. Hirsch was appointed as Member of the Working Group for Latin America for the development of the sport in the region.
Hirsch was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business in 1992, then went on to perform specialized studies in the Advanced Program in International Business at Northeastern University in Boston, MA, in 1994.


Hirsch has had a hand in many different businesses with an international vision throughout his life. With many great international accomplishments, he continues to further his equestrian career.