98 SIDELINES JUNE 2014
FORHORSEPEOPLE • ABOUTHORSEPEOPLE
WanjaGerlach
TheConfidenceBuilder
ByChristineDeHerrera
Great coaches inspire confidence, allowing their students
to reach within and perform beyond their expectations. At just
31 years old, Wanja Gerlach is becoming that rarefied type of
coach. Whether he’s showing a talented horse how to balance
poisewith power or teaching a young rider to abandon perfection
for greatness, Wanja helps his students master the fine art of
dressage.
Riding the Hanoverian gelding Ribery 20, Wanja finished
in the top eight at the 2013 Markel Young Dressage Horse
Championships and won 14 classes last year. He also qualified
fivehorses for theGreatAmerican InsuranceGroup/UnitedStates
DressageFederation (GAIG/USDF)Region IChampionships, and
helpedhisstudentsearnUSDFmedalsandpersonal best scores.
WithhiswifeMelissa,WanjaoperatesPerformanceSporthorses
in Middleburg, Virginia, with the express goal of developing top
quality youngdressagehorses. Inaddition, he teaches junior and
adult students to access their inner FEI rider andmove swiftly up
the levels.
Don’t BeAfraidofMistakes
“I’m always surprised by what I can do with Wanja’s help,”
explains 20-year-old Amelia Lyon, 2013 GAIG/USDF Region I
Reserve Champion Third Level Junior/Young Rider. “He pushes
hard, but it’s always in such apositiveway.”
Ameliahadpreviously shown throughSecondLevel, but isnow
winning in the FEI Young Rider division. To make that dream a
reality, Amelia had to overcome show ring anxiety.Wanja helped
her realize that she could have a successful ride, even if it wasn’t
error-free.
To alleviate the paralysis of trying to be perfect, he told her, “Go in there and screw up asmuch as you can.” Wanja’s advice
seems to have been effective for Amelia. She earned the 2013
USDF All Breeds (American Trakehner Association) Reserve
Champion Fourth Level Open and made her 2014 debut at the
YoungRider level withblue ribbonsandscoresabove68percent.
“I’venever hadsomuch fungoing tohorseshowsas I did this last
season,” she said.
Sarah O’Neil, another of Wanja’s students, echoes this
sentiment. “Until I beganworkingwithWanja, I’dstoppedshowing
because I no longer enjoyed it. He helpedme rediscover the fun
of showing.”
“I’m a perfectionist, but this wasn’t always helpful,” Sarah
continued. Wanja says, “If you don’t make mistakes, I can’t
help. Make mistakes, make different mistakes and then I’ll have
something toworkwith.”
This confidence-building approach produces clear results.
UnderWanja’s tutelage,SarahearnedherUSDFBronzemedal in
one year with her 17-year-old gelding, Sandor. Since then, she’s
purchased three young horses that she and Wanja are riding,
including the recently imported Bravo Zulu. They’re aiming the
gelding, byBelissimo, for theFEI 4-year-old division.
Sarah is impressed withWanja’s calm, confident manner with
young horses. “He doesn’t believe in fighting with them,” Sarah
said. “Therearea lot ofmen that get their ego involved; he’dnever
do that.”
Born and raised in Germany, Wanja learned the systematic
e
Dressage
WanjaGerlachwith hiswifeMelissaand sonStefan
PhotobyDorisGlover
Wanja andRibery 20, ownedbyBeckyMcCollum
