Meet the Coaches

 

Meet the Coaches

Our Instructors

Shirley Guertin

Coach for Advanced Riders

Shirley is a certified EC (Equestrian Canada) High Performance Dressage Coach. In 2018 she was awarded the Equestrian Canada Community Coach of the Year: Honourable Mention. On two occasions she received recognition as Ontario’s Female Dressage Coach of the Year. She is also an active EC Medium Dressage Judge, having judged across Canada. She was involved as a Master Coach in a Coaching Apprentice project run by Cadora-Ontario to help in the development of coaches. She is a skilled rider and trainer, having competed on homebred horses to the FEI levels.

Since 1973 Shirley has been working at Centaur, teaching, training and in administration. In 1989 she bought the farm from her parents and has been operating the business ever since. Shirley is available for lessons one week evening per week, and weekday mornings.

Danika Guertin-Pierson

Coach for Advanced Riders and Head Trainer

Danika is a certified EC (Equestrian Canada) Competition Coach. Since 2010 Danika has been very successful training and competing Centaur’s homebreds from our breeding program winning numerous significant awards. For 5 years in a row, home-bred horses that Danika has either showed and/or trained have won the OADG Young Horse trophy. Highlights include:

  • 2018 Equestrian Canada(EC) Second Level Rider of the Year, and reserve Second Level Horse of the Year (Diamanda CRS)
  • 2017 Equestrian Canada(EC) First Level Rider of the Year and Horse of the Year (Diamanda CRS)
  • 2015 Canadian Champion with Diamanda CRS at Training Level
  • 2014 Ontario Champion with Dark Velvet at Second Level

A short article was written up about Danika in Equestrian Canada’s June 2018 Dressage Quarterly (on pg.6). Following this success the pair was chosen to participate in the Ontario Equestrian Competitive Athlete Development Symposium held at Deer Ridge Equestrian in August 2018. They were hand-picked to be a part of the demonstration riding, to be taught by two Olympians, Christilot Hansen-Boylen and Megan Lane. Following the symposium Danika was lucky enough to train with Christilot at Deer Ridge for the month of October. To keep progressing in her training, Danika rides with Shirley and also trains with Olympian Tom Dvorak when they are lucky enough to have him come to Centaur for a clinic in the spring and fall.

As well as teaching our more advanced riders, Danika is also available for off-site coaching.

Monica Kulas

Coach

Monica started riding in 2007 as a Horsemanship for Youth Student here at Centaur. She quickly fell in love with all aspects of the equestrian world. Not only does she have a love for riding, she enjoys the daily care of the horses. She worked in the barn on weekends and summers all through her high school days.

After high school, Monica spent a year here at Centaur in our working student program, living and working on the farm daily. She was able to compete with many of our school horses during that time, in both the dressage ring and hunter ring. Her focus is now on instructing others.

Monica enjoys teaching students of all levels and skills – from the casual rider to competitive students. She also teaches horsemanship skills throughout the year in various courses. These days you’ll find Monica teaching two evenings a week. You can also find her in the barn on Saturdays overseeing the busy day and Sundays cleaning out stalls and riding.

Kai Cunningham

Coach and Trainer

Kai is a certified EC (Equestrian Canada) Instructor. He has been riding since he was 6 years old. He has competed with his horse Hershey in multiple disciplines since 2014. His focus is currently on moving up through the levels in Eventing. He has been coaching at Centaur since 2018, and now is teaching on Saturday afternoons.

Location

3845 Frank Kenny Road
Navan, Ontario
K4B 0C6

Call Us

(613) 835-2237
or Fax: (613) 835-9704

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