Meet Yara Reichert – a Fearless Challenger Carving Her Own Path in the Dressage World

It’s October, and Munich is teeming with beer lovers for the annual Oktoberfest. Sixty kilometers northeast of the festivities, another type of celebration is happening—at least for those who love SWB stallions. Here, in a landscape reminiscent of the English countryside with its green hills, lies the Reichert family’s estate, Gut Erlbach. The farm was purchased by the family three years ago, alongside acquiring the stallions Springbank II VH and Valverde from Helgstrand Dressage.

Since then, the farm has been under construction—a slow and challenging process, not least because the authorities have refused permission to build an indoor riding arena in the area. The Reichert family has temporarily solved the issue by setting up a large riding tent. And the horses, no matter how valuable they are, do just fine in simple barns without luxury and glamor, remarks Yara Reichert as she sets out German pastries, while the groom Sandy makes coffee.

Horse Management Without Luxury but with a Focus on Welfare

“It’s muddy, cold, and temporary for us riders, but from the horses’ perspective, it’s luxury. We have large, beautiful grass paddocks on hilly terrain, and all the horses are out every day, all year round. That’s much more important to me than having a fancy stable with gold fixtures,” Yara says as we sit down in the small heated kitchen in the old stone building that forms the heart of the estate.

Started as an eventing rider

Horses have been part of Yara Reichert’s life since childhood. Her parents were both eventing riders, and that’s where her own riding career began.

“It was formative and gave me the courage to ride my horses in all environments. I never get scared, and that’s something I still benefit from today, especially with the stallions,” she says, biting into a pretzel with a generous dollop of butter.

After high school, however, Yara swapped horses for a backpack. What was meant to be a year off from riding turned into several. Yara worked as a model and lived alternately in South Africa, Italy, and the UK. By 25, she had had enough of life in front of the camera.

“I started university, rode one horse a day, mostly just out in the woods, to get the peace it brings. There was no focus on training or competing at all.”

After university, she started a gaming company and worked intensely for several years, based in Malta.

“I worked constantly, seven days a week. It was a fantastic time. Marriage and children weren’t on my mind then, but that changed when I met my husband through work.”

Oliver Reichert, a former war correspondent and ex-TV executive for a sports channel, became the CEO of the German shoe manufacturer Birkenstock in 2013. While Yara was developing her Malta-based gaming company, and Oliver was restructuring one of the world’s most famous sandal companies, they started a family. They also bought and renovated a house, like many others at that stage in life.

“I was holding our firstborn in my arms and flying back and forth for a year and a half. When the twins arrived, we suddenly had three small children to manage, a house to renovate, and loads of work. It worked for a while, but eventually, I felt it wasn’t sustainable.”

Yara sold her company at a good profit, but with mixed feelings.

“Going from being a businesswoman and mother to suddenly being a full-time mom was tough. I love my children more than anything, but just changing diapers, feeding them, and hanging out with women who enjoyed cooking and home life drove me crazy. I hate cooking and felt useless for not meeting the expectations of a stereotypical mom.”

She speaks with humor but also a certain darkness about the frustration of feeling quite lost. However, that period marked the beginning of a completely new career—as a dressage rider, with some of the world’s best young horses in her stable.

“It was around that time I decided to start riding again.”

Switched to dressage

When the Reicherts’ first son was born in 2009, the filly Schwarze Perle was bought at auction. The mare was broken in, and at the family’s kitchen table, there were lively discussions about daring sports and parental roles.

“Oliver, who had stopped riding motorcycles when the children came, thought it was time for me to quit eventing. So, I started seriously riding dressage—and I was terrible, ha ha!”

Yara describes it as a cultural shock to go from the more relaxed world of eventing to the strict discipline of dressage.

“It wasn’t fun at first, but I’m determined. I decided to go all in and got help from trainers like Dolf-Dietram Keller and Ulla Salzgeber.

“Slowly but surely, I began to like the details, the perfection. It’s so complex. All horses are different, and you have to tune in to each one. There isn’t one path, there are as many different paths as there are horses.”

She praises her trainers and also shares about the hours of analysis she put in with each horse. What signals was she giving as a rider, and how were they received?

I started to understand that he meant it—that he was suggesting we buy a really, really good horse.”

“When the kids were little, we didn’t have much money. Most of the money I had, and what Oliver earned, went into renovating our old house, which we bought when the kids were born.”

But life was about to change drastically in 2021. Her husband led Birkenstock through an exceptionally successful deal, resulting in a hefty stock portfolio. After years of hard work, the Reichert family’s finances now consisted of significant assets.

One evening, after the kids had gone to bed, her husband asked:

“What’s your biggest wish, Yara?”

“I looked at him and said, nothing. We have everything we need, the kids, the farm, the horses. Then he looked at me and asked if I really didn’t want to step up with the horses, to do it more ‘seriously.’”

Yara bursts into laughter.

“I was like, excuse me? What are you saying, I’m super serious. Then I started to understand that he meant it—that he was suggesting we buy a really, really good horse.”

Unexpectedly met the horse of a lifetime

It took a year before the Reicherts found what Yara describes as the horse of a lifetime, the SWB stallion Springbank II VH. The Germans—who were actually looking for a mare, or at most a gelding—were at Helgstrand and had been trying out horses nonstop.

“I felt inadequate and was about to give up. Then Valverde came along. An extremely sensitive, cautious, and introverted stallion. I knew absolutely nothing about Valverde, breeding had never been my thing,” Yara recalls.

“I had, like many others, seen Springbank during Charlotte Dujardin’s test ride at the Breeders, but I didn’t know he was at Helgstrand. I got on and was so nervous—oh my God, I’m riding Springbank. It felt like flying, and it was love at first sight.”

The Reicherts bought both stallions. For “a shit load of money,” as Yara puts it.

“It’s crazy when you think about it, and how easily a horse can break its leg.”

The worry about that, however, she describes as manageable, largely thanks to her upbringing.

“If you let them be just normal horses, with pasture time, lots of roughage, and varied training, they stay injury-free and happy, no matter how much they cost.”

What Yara didn’t expect was the shitstorm that blew up when the purchases became public.

“There was so much nastiness. People said it to my face and wrote horrible things on social media. I’m a nobody who would ruin them in a week. Why can’t people just be kind? Even if I only rode them at a lower level, the horses would be happy. They get to go out in large paddocks every day, receive first-class care. A horse doesn’t care if it’s competing at low level or Grand Prix, and honestly, most of them would be happier just doing the lower level.”

Even if I had known beforehand how it would be, I would still have bought them—fuck you, screw you all!

“Many complained that it wouldn’t be possible to breed with them anymore, despite the fact that there was, and still is, frozen semen. It was awful.”

How did you handle it?

“There was nothing to do but handle it. Today, I feel that even if I had known beforehand how it would be, I would still have bought them—fuck you, screw you all!” (Both stallions are now competing at advanced level with good results). “But the way some people treated me still surprises me—some people can be incredibly mean. It was a lesson.”

Last summer, Yara received an unexpected message on Instagram.

“Carl Hedin contacted me, saying he wanted to sell a horse. And that he liked how we keep the stallions here. He asked if I wanted to know more, and I, flattered but slightly embarrassed, replied that he shouldn’t think of me as anything more than an amateur. I asked if he was insane, should I ride one of your horses?”

“When Carl said it was Skyline To B, I just thought, oh my God. It’s Carl and Sky—they are the perfect couple. I didn’t want to be the reason for a ‘divorce’ in that relationship. Then Carl told me he was in a new phase of life and that he wanted me to take the reins.”

Yara and Oliver flew to Sweden and Särö at the end of summer to try him out.

“I got on Sky and just felt WOW. He is incredibly well-ridden and responsive to the aids despite being enormous.”

When the deal was finalized (the sum is undisclosed), Carl personally drove Sky to his new home.

“That means a lot to me during this transition. They have an incredibly strong bond, and for me, it’s now about slowly but surely gaining Sky’s trust too. Right now, he’s a bit of a handful, but we’re working on it—with Carl’s help, which I’m very grateful for.”

The rain is pouring down, but out in the paddocks, the horses are grazing, their coats wet and glistening. Yara’s enthusiasm for the Swedish newcomer is unmistakable as she shows us around the estate.

“It’s so important that my horses get to go out and be horses. They can move freely in hilly terrain in all gaits, sniff their neighbors, graze, play, and just be horses.”

It’s also a very selfish way of horse keeping, according to Yara Reichert:

“By letting the horses be horses, no matter how much they cost, it reduces my own stress about whether they’ve moved enough, whether they’ve eaten enough. They can move in all gaits, graze even in winter, and play with friends—either in the same paddock or next to each other like the stallions do.”

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Carl Hedin about Yara and Skyline To B

”I reached out to Yara because I saw her as a potential buyer for a horse like Skyline. Over the years, many have tried to buy him, but it was essential to me that he ended up in the right place and continued to live an enriched life—that was something I owed him after all he’s given me. Yara has an incredible approach to horse care and truly provides her horses with the best possible life.

The decision to sell Skyline was, of course, tough, with multiple reasons behind it. I felt an immense pressure to do justice to such a valuable horse’s potential, and at times it felt heavy. At the same time, the sale opens new doors for me both personally and for my business. I’m entering a phase with some media opportunities that I’m excited to develop, so the timing felt right to let go of my wonderful stallion.

I’m incredibly happy that Yara wants to keep me as part of Team Skyline, and I’m more than happy to support her with tips and ideas. I personally brought him to her to make the transition as smooth as possible for both Sky and Yara. The plan is for me to fly down regularly this fall to be available if they need my help. I was there three weeks ago, and it went fantastically well when we trained together.”

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At the time of Ridsport’s visit, Skyline is having an enforced rest due to a fungal infection right under the girth. The plan for 2025 is to start the stallion at S-level. The reactions after buying Skyline have been different from when Springbank and Valverde arrived at the farm.

“The tone is different now, maybe because people have seen who we are and how our horses live and are trained. The only negative feedback is from the breeding community, but again, there’s frozen semen, so his career as a stallion is far from over.”

For several years now, Yara has trained with Monica Theodorescu, the German national team coach. With the purchase of Skyline, she is also adding Carl Hedin to her team.

“He brings a way of training that I really like. The horses are happy and engaged, and his toolbox is enormous. I love it—I love having different high-level trainers. They all see different things, which allows you as a rider to pick and choose and create your own style.”

Yara’s love for Springbank has led to her estate being more or less dominated by his offspring. During Ridsport’s visit, no fewer than seven of his sons were in the paddocks.

“It’s a bit of a Springbank factory. We have Springdance, Springday, Sauvage, Springbaby, Springnight, and Scarabus VH, who also comes from Tobias Hansson. My Black Pearl also had a really nice foal by Springbank this year, which means a lot to me with that pedigree.”

Yara openly admits that she has felt enormous pressure having some of the world’s best horses in her stable.

When you win, you’re worth a lot in others’ eyes, but if things don’t go well, you’re worth nothing.

“I always set high standards for myself, and like everyone else, I’ve had times when I’ve felt I’ve failed. One day you win, and the next competition, you come last. It’s important to navigate that well. For me, it’s more important to have a good feeling than to win. I try to enjoy it. I don’t need to prove anything to anyone, which should be freeing—and I’m trying to feel that more and more and let go of the pressure. Honestly, equestrian sport can be a terrible sport in some ways. So many people are into gossip, and I wish that would stop. We are all in the sport because we love it, and everyone would benefit from supporting each other more. Many people go from hero to zero in a second—when you win, you’re worth a lot in others’ eyes, but if things don’t go well, you’re worth nothing.”

“I think it’s important to try to distance yourself from that, and what I really love about riding, what is my passion for the sport, is the daily training with the horses. I love it. It’s mentally very challenging. I’m always thinking about how I can communicate better, how I can get him or her to understand the signals I’m giving. It’s about constantly refining your body language, which is incredibly fascinating.”

Balancing the business of managing 30 horses with family life is an ongoing challenge. Today, the family’s daughter is the only one who shares Yara’s passion for horses.

“It’s hard to be a full-time rider and have a family. There’s always something that gets squeezed. If I’m at a competition, I miss time with my kids, who don’t really want to come along anymore. It’s hard to feel like I sometimes don’t measure up. If I spend more time with the family, there’s less time for the horses, and that shows quickly too. It’s a battle you can never win—the balance is difficult, and I think many parents struggle with it just as much as I do.”

Do you have any advice for young riders who want to succeed in the sport?

“My advice is to work hard, get a really good education that leads to a job where you can make money, and then buy one or two really good horses. Then, think smart. Can you sell one of the horses and free up some capital? That’s my advice to all young people with ambitions in equestrian sport. Make sure you become independent.”

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Timeline Yara Reichert

1969
Yara is born as Yara Wortmann, into an equestrian family. Her parents, Claude and Ragnhild, are dedicated eventing riders. The family has a small farm where they both keep and breed horses. Her mother is a teacher, and her father is a businessman.

1994
After high school, Yara studies communication, law, and politics at the University of Munich, followed by seven years abroad.

2000
In the early 2000s, she becomes the CEO of several online betting and gaming companies (Alloo, WinUnited, Wettstar) and also leads the communications agency Publicia International and consulting firm TML. Yara also meets her husband, Oliver Reichert, CEO of Birkenstock, and the couple marries.

2008
Their first son is born. On the same day, the foal Schwarze Perle is bought at auction. This mare becomes Yara’s first Grand Prix horse, and they make their international debut in 2018.

2021
The Reichert couple steps up and purchases Springbank II VH and Valverde, which Yara competes with at the World Championships for Young Horses in dressage the same year. She wins the Breeders Trophy for 7-year-olds with Springbank.

2022
She receives an award from the German Equestrian Federation after winning ten times at the S-level with different horses. Yara now has seven horses at a high level. That same year, she buys Gut Erlbach near Landshut, where the family is gradually building up their operations.

2023
Successfully competes with various horses.

2024
Purchases Skyline To B from Carl Hedin.

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“I’ve always worked hard to be independent. I can only control my own life if I do what I can afford. It’s a fantastic opportunity to work as a professional rider. But in the end, you always risk losing your best horse. You become dependent on sponsors and horse owners who, although they provide you with horses, usually always have them for sale at the right price. Then you have to start over again and again and again.”

“My daughter wants to work with horses, and I say, sure, it’s a great idea. You can ride as much as you want now, but you need to study, get a job, and become independent so that you can buy your own horse. That’s the only way to have full control over your career, your horse’s career, and your future together.”