Coaches
 Marcy
Grace, Head Coach
Marcy Grace is a retired
dance professional who has made her home
in Santa Fe for the last 26 years. She
is a student of Classical Dressage as
well as the head coach of Free Spirit
Vaulters.
Marcy has worked with
kids in a variety of capacities, as a
ballet instructor, an AIDS educator,
as Director of the Whitney
Project, and now as a vaulting coach.
Two years ago Marcy’s
daughter Isobel became very actively
involved in vaulting. She was a member
of the Albuquerque Vaulters for two years
and also spent a lot of time with the
Golden Gate Vaulters, coached primarily
by Erik
Martonovitch. During this time, Marcy
spent many hours observing a variety
of coaching techniques and came to the
conclusion that in many respects vaulters
need the same type of conditioning required
for ballet. She began to formulate training
methods that are physiologically correct
in order to strengthen and tighten the
body before vaulters ever see the back
of a horse. She says, "We also do
a lot of dance choreography to enhance
agility and coordination and just for
the sheer fun of moving."
Marcy’s daughter
Isobel is a bright, shining force who
has overcome many challenges in her life.
She was diagnosed several years ago with
Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. Vaulting
seemed to help both physically and psychologicaly,
giving Isobel a strong sense of herself. "I
realized," Grace said, " that
this sport could really do a lot for
a kid’s life, whatever their challenges
are."
Marcy’s personal
philosophy of vaulting reflects her general
attitude towards dealing with kids. “This
sport (vaulting) can have a tremendous
impact on a young person's life. It builds
inner resources like confidence and courage
and respect for others. Vaulting is a
relatively low-cost sport, so it’s
a level playing field and kids come from
all walks of life. So it's outside the
box of a homogenous peer group. I treat
vaulters with respect and great appreciation
for what they do. I also have very high
expectations. Our vaulters have to show
up and be present for practices and always
do their best. Also they have to have
fun doing something they love."
Marcy’s
dream is to build a team with unlimited
possibilities. One that could perhaps
take a team to Worlds or send individual
vaulters to the World Equestrian Games.
How long?
“Give
me 5 years," Grace says. "Anything
can happen with hard work and dedication."
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Anna
Schulte, Assistant Coach
Anna
Schulte is a Gold medalist. She is
the coach of Ponderosa Vaulters as
well as assistant coach of Free Spirit
Vaulters. She is trained in dance,
gymnastics, dressage, yoga, and trick
riding. She has performed with Ringling
Brothers Circus, Kambarovs Cossack
Riding Troupe, and Roman Rider Erik
Martonovitch, among others.
 How
I Came To Vaulting
by Anna Schulte
I have always been "horse crazy", so it is lucky that I grew up on
my Grandmother's 365 acres of wilderness in the Nacimento Mountains above the
tiny town of Cuba, New Mexico. From the time I was five years old I would scare
my mother to death by climbing onto the backs of the free range mares and cling
to their manes. I would kicked my heels into their sides, urging them into
a trot and then finally with more urging from me, we would brake into a gallop!
I loved to feel the strong muscles of the horses back moving under me as their
mane whipped at my in my face, tickling my nose.
Besides the mares there
was a big, beautiful sorrel stallion.
He was kept behind an 8-foot-high fence
because he was considered vicious and
dangerous. My deepest desire was to ride
that powerful animal. I bugged my mother
so much that she finally made a deal
with me: If I could catch, bridle, saddle
safely ride all the mares, I would be
allowed to ride the "beast".
Satisfied with my task I set out to do
just that. Two years and many bruises,
stomped toes, blistered hands, sore muscles
and learned lessons later I claimed my
prize! My misunderstood friend and I
spent many happy hours exploring the
mountain together, the sun shinning down
on my back, the smell of vanilla wafting
from the pine forest.
Then my whole world
changed because my mother had to move
into Albuquerque, New Mexico for work.
We could not have horses there and I
was heart broken and homesick for my
friends. Then, amazingly, we found "gymnastics
on horseback" lessons being given
by Merry Cole of the Albuquerque Vaulters
near our home. I signed up and on my
12th birthday I was thrilled to attend
my first lesson in the fantastic sport
of vaulting! Imagine being encouraged
to stand up on a moving horse! I was
in heaven again.
My first vaulting competition
was in Cortez, Colorado and I won Overall
Trot Champion! The next year at Nationals
I won 2-Phase Bronze Champion and was
on the winning 2-phase Team. Then at
16 I was the first vaulter in the State
of New Mexico to achieve the gold medal
status. There was a brief time when vaulting
was not part of my life. I left Albuquerque,
got married and had my son Jacob. Three
years later I was divorcced and back
in Albuquerque. I came back to The Albuquerque
Vaulters and began to compete again.
Finally I had enough
of the city life and I moved back to
my childhood home with my son. Then I
met Zsombor Gyokossy, a Hungarian artist
who had move to Cuba. Zombor is an accomplished
dressage rider and I begin to take lessons
from him. But I missed vaulting, so I
purchased a horse and a surcingle, and
with Zsombors as my lunger I began vaulting
once more and giving vaulting lessons
in my community. I have traveled from
Seattle to Oaxaca, Mexico to give clinics.
I love to see the beaming face of a child
who has accomplished a new skill!
Over the years I have
had the opportunity to work with some
amazing performers—the Svenson's
of the Ringling Brothers Circus, Kambarovs
Cossack Riding Troupe, and Roman Rider
Erik Martonovich and his wonderful family.
Performing is a exhilarating aspect of
vaulting! I love the freedom to use my
creativity. I have been Xena Warrior
Princess, the Headless Horseman and a
four armed alien, Zorro's damsel in distress
in a Roman Riding act, as well as just
simple yet impressive vaulting for a
crowd at horse shows and events.
Now I am working with
Marcy Grace, her daughter Isobel and
their team Free Spirit Vaulters. Marcy
has a strong background in dance, and
it is wonderful to see the positive effects
of all her knowledge in her vaulters
and me as well! I am looking forward
to a new vaulting season with new challenges
and experiences.
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Greta
Shryock, Assistant Coach
 Greta
Shryock is a Gold medal vaulter who has
traveled the globe representing the United
States in vaulting competitions and demonstrations,
including the Equestrian Venue Exhibitions
at the 1996 Summer Olympics. She has
also coached several vaulting teams.
She is a member of
the American Vaulting Association Friendship
Team, a specially selected group of high-level
vaulters from vaulting clubs and teams
across the country.
Formed in 1995 to represent
the sport of vaulting at events all over
the country, Friendship Team members
come together, and perform - often on
unfamiliar horses and sometimes less
than perfect footing - but always put
on a wonderful program and represent
our sport well.
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 Ulrike
Rieder, Visiting Coach
We were fortunate to
have
FEI judge Ulrike
Rieder (Germany) coach our team.
Ulrike has judged many
World Championship Vaulting
competitions
around the world and is the author
of several vaulting books, including Correct
Vaulting, the guidebook for AVA
vaulters and most vaulters around the
globe.
1969 in Wiesbaden
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 Matthias
Lange, Visiting Coach
Matthias Lang of France
is the Men's World Vaulting champion.
He started his international
career in Saumur as part of the French
team at the 1995 European Championships.
At the 2002 World Equestrian
Games in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain,
he won the Gold Medal. At the 2003 Open
European Vaulting Championship, he retired
from competition with a new European
title and concluded his career with an
extraordinary score.
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Erik
Martonovitch, Visiting Coach
 Erik
Martonovich first vaulted at the age
of six, and loved the excitement, the
movement and being outdoors with horses.
Inspired by the possibilities of the
sport, he began his own vaulting team
at age 14. Many of the individual vaulters
that Martonovich has trained have earned
success at the national level. Martonovich
represented the United States at the
World Equestrian Games in 2002, where
he finished fifteenth in the Individual
Men's Division and in 1998, where he
placed 14th. He was selected to the U.S.
contingent for the World Vaulting Championships
2000 in Mannheim, Germany. He was Men's
National Champion in 1996, 1997 and 1998
and Pas de Deux National Champion in
1999 and 2000. He is the founder of Big
Horse Productions specializing in custom
equestrian performances.
He is currently a member
of the cast of Cavalia,
the brainchild of Cirque du Soleil co-founder
Normand Latourelle.
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