50 SIDELINES APRIL 2013
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Lisa Engel
Most horsemen know of the Genn
family - Wilhelm, Theo and Ryan -
the dynamic trio of grand prix riders
from Rheinland Farm in Lebanon,
Ohio. While Wilhelm has won more
than 70 grand prix, the Genn trio
recently experienced their frst
trifecta win.
History took place in February
at the Gulf Coast Classic
Company’s $25,000 Johnson
Horse Transportation Grand Prix at
the Harrison County Fairgrounds
and Equestrian Center in Gulfport,
Mississippi. “This was a very special
class for us. While we have won top
spots in the past at other shows,
never before have we placed frst,
second and third,” said proud father,
Wilhelm Genn.
Happy Z, owned by Wilhelm, locked the win in with a jump-off
time of 37.721 seconds; son Theo rode Bridelbourne’s Winchester
to a second place fnish in 43.227 seconds and youngest son
Ryan rode Wilhelm’s Cookie Monster to a third place fnish in
47.72 seconds.
What is the secret ingredient to the Genn’s success?
“Horsemanship is the secret - which shouldn’t be a secret. You
see horses now a days that go well for one year, maybe two.
Knowing, managing and caring for your horses and practicing
good horsemanship is the most important lesson to pass on today
and I try to do that with my boys,” Wilhelm said. “That will be the
most important lesson for future generations of riders to learn.”
Theo, 23, who galloped to a second place victory said, “I
watched my brother go and I thought I could beat his time; but
there was no way I could beat my Dad’s time without pulling some
rails. So I decided to go as fast as I could and as careful as I
could.” That equation worked, giving him a clean round in a time
that just edged out his brother Ryan.
“It’s a good thing my Dad won, because we would have never
let him live it down if he hadn’t,” Theo joked. “Seriously though,
while it is great that we share our love for riding and we have
a special camaraderie, it can be really frustrating. I ride against
my Dad each week and I have a lot of seconds on my resume to
prove it.”
Theo started riding early with his Dad at Rheinland Farm. “I had
a Shetland pony; but it wasn’t until I was 14 that I rode in my frst
show,” he said, adding that he turned professional when he was
18. “My brother Ryan is really a natural. The frst time he got on a
horse he was 16 and he won his frst grand prix when he was 19!
He is a very special talent!”
Ryan, 21, is a freshman at SCAD (Savannah College of Art
and Design) where he majors in equestrian studies with a minor
in business and rides on the college team. While he started riding
late, he said it was a way to connect with his family. “After doing
it for a while, it really became my passion. Riding was never
something I was pressured to do - it was always my choice,”
said Ryan. “My family and my father are very supportive. The
only pressure I get is the pressure I put on myself. I don’t want to
disappoint them [my family] - there are a lot of big footsteps to fll.”
How did he feel about the family’s placing in the grand prix in
Gulfport? “I was rooting for them [Wilhelm and Theo]! I wanted so
badly for us all to be in the winner’s circle together,” Ryan said,
adding that he wasn’t upset when his brother pushed him from
second to third place. “It was so great to be there together, frst
through third - really great!”
Ryan rides his father’s horse Cookie Monster. “He is perfect.
He doesn’t spook at anything and has this amazing personality,”
he commented. “He’s really careful around a grand prix course
but then you can trail ride him on a loose rein. We’ve had him for
about two-and-a-half years. He was a diamond in the rough and I
love riding him.”
The Genn boys are proud to say that they feel their father is the
best horseman they know. “He has taught us everything about
horses and riding,” said Theo.
Happy Z and Wilhelm Genn gallop to victory.
Photo by Flashpoint Photography
e
The Genn family - Wilhelm, Theo and Ryan - are all smiles after scoring a trifecta at the Gulf
Coast Classic Company’s $25,000 Johnson Horse Transportation Grand Prix in Gulfport,
Mississippi.
Photo by Beth Matthews