The current season is proving particularly successful for German show jumper Jens Wawrauschek. With strong performances at major competitions and a consistent vision for horses and training, the 43-year-old rider has firmly positioned himself within international show jumping. What drives him is not only ambition, but above all passion and the conviction that the secret to success lies in finding the right combination between rider and horse.
For Wawrauschek, the season started promisingly. In April, he claimed third place in the 3* Grand Prix of Nancy, followed by an impressive second place in the jump-off of the 4* 1.60m Grand Prix of Hohen Wieschendorf with Mava S, a ten-year-old DSP daughter of Messenger. He was separated by only seven hundredths of a second from Olympic champion Christian Kukuk with Chageorge. This was followed by appearances at, among others, the Hamburg Derby, the German Championships in Balve, and Opglabbeek, each time with successful results.
Yet for the rider from Warstein, it is not only about sporting achievements. "Riding is my passion," Wawrauschek emphasizes. More than ten years ago, he started out on his own, which initially meant that he often had to sell horses quickly in order to finance his work. Now, he can spend more time working with horses that truly suit him, such as Mava S and the Holsteiner grey gelding Quirano (by Quiran).
In his stable, he usually has around 25 horses in care and training, until a 'Perfect Match' with a client presents itself for each one. "It’s important that I have a clear idea of where the horse is headed," he explains. For professional riders, that might be a green horse, while amateurs mainly benefit from a reliable character. Sometimes sales happen quickly, but always with the goal of a sustainable match. Thanks to his careful approach, it almost never happens that a horse comes back. When problems do arise, he works with the client to find a solution—through advice, individual training, or other forms of support.
His priority always remains the same: that the horse ends up in good hands and that the client is satisfied. Over the years, this has led to trust, and sometimes even friendships, with his clients. Former clients regularly reach out again, sometimes years later, in search of a new horse. In this way, a network has gradually developed that continues to expand almost on its own: more and more people entrust their horses to him for sale, while the number of buyers specifically looking to him for an experienced sport horse is steadily growing.
The success he enjoys today, Wawrauschek himself sees as the logical result of his approach. "I have always tried to be honest with everyone and to develop a good sense for what fits together." Ultimately, for him, it always comes down to one goal: finding that one 'Perfect Match.'
