Texas Rio Grande Valley Athletics

Gordon Reistrup enters his 16th year as the riding coach at Washington and Lee University during the 2021-22 campaign.

Reistrup's riders experienced great success throughout the 2019-20 season, with Liza Aldridge, Eric Herrera, Jillian Rosenwasser and Sam Johnson all qualifying for regionals. In addition, Johnson (2nd) and Rosenwasser (4th) were both ranked in the Top 5 in the final Cacchione Cup Individual Rider Standings. 

The 2019 season marked the 11th consecutive season with multiple All-ODAC riders under Reistrup's coaching, as the Generals finished fifth at the ODAC Championship.

In 2014, Reistrup led the Generals to its second ODAC Championship title in program history and its first since the 2006 season. For his efforts, he was named the ODAC Coach of the Year for the first time in his eight-years at the helm. He coached Claire Stevenson '14 to ODAC Rider of the Year honors and Caleigh Wells '17 to Rookie of the Year accolades. Reistrup also saw four riders qualify for the IHSA Regional competition, while two riders competed at the IHSA Zone Finals.

In his 14 seasons, Reistrup has guided 22 W&L riders to First Team All-ODAC laurels, including three-time ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year Tamara Morse '12, and three ODAC Rookie of the Year titles in Allison Lemon '11, Charlotte Keesler '15 and Wells. Under Reistrup's leadership, W&L riders have qualified for regional finals each year, with Morse earning the high point rider title for IHSA Zone 4 Region 2 in 2011 and 2012.

Reistrup has been teaching riding and horsemanship since he was a teenager through his involvement with the U.S. Pony Clubs, where he achieved an "A" rating. He gained national exposure in eventing before attending the University of Virginia, where he competed at Nationals all four years. He also competed in the ANRC Championships and won top honors in both types of competition.

A 1988 graduate of UVA with a bachelor of arts degree in English, Reistrup continued teaching a variety of equestrian disciplines throughout college and thereafter until he regained amateur status concentrating on hunters and jumpers. In this role, he helped develop and show young horses and competed more experienced horses to national prominence, including a USEF Horse of the Year Championship in 2004.

Owner of the Colliers Creek Show Stable, Reistrup has continued to ride horses in training and coaching advanced clients.