In 1974 -- the year Gai Parada was double National Champion Pleasure Driving -- three of his foals won their first championships and began to establish him as a sire of champions. Gai Contessa (x Asil Vela by Rafferty) was Reserve Junior Champion Mare; BF Collandria (x Gaffi by Raffi) was Reserve Junior Champion Mare; and Gai Paradazon (x Gai-Gay-Ferzona by Ferzon) was Junior Champion Stallion. Gai Parada offspring continued to pile up the wins, with quite a few having National titles of their own.

For most of his early life at the Santa Ynez ranch, Gai Parada shared attention, glory, and mares with his sire Ferzon. Ferzon passed away in 1982. Victor Kerr, long-time manager at Gainey's, remembers, "When Ferson was still alive, the two stallions were stabled side by side, and they totally ignored each other all day long except when someone paid some attention to one or the other or both of them. It didn't matter which horse you scratched or whether you went to both of them, as soon as you'd turn away, they always exchanged a few squeals and a little bad language, just to settle the score. This might happen 20 times a day."

Dan and Robin Gainey both spoke of Gai Parada as a riding horse. "He [was] a pleasure to ride, he [was] well-mannered, [took] an interest in everything and [kept] your attention," said Dan. Robin added, "He [loved] to be ridden out on the ranch around the cattle, and sometimes Dan [cut] cattle with him."

In the fall of 1980, Gai Parada received his Legion of Supreme Merit in a ceremony during the evening classes at the Santa Barbara show.