USDF Gold, Silver & Bronze Medalist with Distinction
Marta Renilla
Marta is an International Grand Prix trainer and USDF Gold, Silver & Bronze Medalist
with * Distinction.
Originally from Spain, she operates out of her training facility in Houston: Woodlands Equestrian Club (known as WEC), and is one of the top up and coming dressage riders in the US. Marta helped her husband Anartz Chanca to obtain his USDF Gold Medal and they both train at WEC and live with their three boys by the facility.
"When I ride I try to find the magic words for each movement, gait or transition that I pass to my horse... I aim to get the horse understand me by being patient with him and by repeating each new task. Once I have found the balance, we both breathe, rest for a minute and then I try to say it again but now with my brain, not even with my body aids."
Marta Renilla
* A USDF Medalist with Distinction refers to a rider who has achieved the highest level of recognition in the USDF medal program.
For example, to earn a Gold Medal, a rider must successfully achieve scores above a certain threshold in designated tests at the Grand Prix level with the same horse. The "with Distinction" designation indicates that the rider not only met these requirements but did so with exceptional scores (+67% in Marta's case), showcasing outstanding skill and proficiency in their riding. This honor reflects a significant level of achievement and dedication in Dressage.
Career Highlights:
Marta has an impressive track record, including:
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4 European Championships.
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3 Nation Cups in Wellington, FL.
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Multiple CDI´s for the past 15 years.
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Young Horse National Championships in Lamplight, Chicago.
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Annual competitor at the Dressage US Finals.
Marta's career as a Dressage rider has flourished, starting from the Young Rider divisions and progressing to international success across Europe.
She participated in both the European and Spanish Championships until 2007, when she moved to USA. Since then, Marta has competed nationally and internationally within the US. From 2007 to the present, she has achieved the following show records in the 655 tests she has competed at:
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82 times in Grand Prix with a max. score of 74.75%
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152 times in Inter I & II with a max. score of 76%
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113 times in PSG with a max. score of 73.4%
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238 times in Training - 4th level with a max. score of 81.9%
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70 times Young Horse tests with a max. score of 87.4%
(source: USDF scores)
Did you know? Marta has produced from scratch and self trained more than 30 FEI horses and multiple Grand Prix horses with whom she has become champion in National and International levels. Known as a wonderful teacher, Marta has coached several students to FEI levels who have successfully competed and have achieved their USDF Gold, Silver and Bronze medals. Marta is yearly selected to be a Grand Prix Demo Rider at the Houston Dressage Society Symposium with International known clinicians and enjoys riding at clinics with Steffen Peters, Conrad Schumacher, Robert Dover and Peter Holler among others.
Her Beginning:
Marta's innate methodology comes from her childhood's experiences at a barn in Madrid (Spain), where she shared her horses' passion with her late mother Isabel Delgado. At age 8, she started training and competing Nationally in Jumping Shows. At age 14 she began her Dressage career with her horse Isenbrant who she self- trained all the way to Grand Prix. She still remembers dearly her first Dressage coach, the Swedish trainer Lena Ortendahl who introduced her to the discipline. Later and before moving to the US, Marta trained with world known trainers Bill Noble, from UK; Brigitte Van Der Hagen, from The Netherlands; 4-time UK Olympian Jennie Loriston; and the International FEI O-Judge Yvonne Visser. Marta became a US citizen in 2018.
"If you are patient and understand the balance of a horse and adapt your riding depending of his conformation and ability, you will then create a trustful relationship that only you both know. I train my horses to be ridden with the minimum aids and the minimum help, so every single gait becomes part of their natural movements without turning uncomfortable....
Marta Renilla