Sunday, March 21, 2006

Ocala Winter Dressage at the Florida Horse Park

Koford Wins Big at Ocala Winter Dressage

In one of the biggest classes on March 11, James Koford beat a field of 11 in an FEI Prix St. Georges class with a score of 67%. He won the FEI Intermediaire I class the following day with a 65.25%. “He was super. I am really happy. I took a chance and didn’t clip him thinking it won’t be that hot. He has the remnants of a winter coat and it is 86 degrees here today. So I was relieved he took the test and held it together as well as he did.”

Donatelli came in first in FEI Grand Prix on March 12 with a 68.125%, following a second place at that level on March 11.

Winning with Donatelli is nothing new for Koford. The duo claimed the reserve championships in Prix St. Georges and Intermediaire I at the 2004 United States Dressage Federation Region 3 Championships.

Koford has been involved in dressage “forever” and dabbles in eventing, as well. Currently, he has seven FEI dressage mounts, which doesn’t leave much time to dabble. But, “I keep an eventing horse for fun and when I have a weekend off, I kick around a cross-country course,” said Koford, who cites the his participation in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event as his most memorable eventing competition. “That was my proudest moment… It is the toughest challenge and requires the fastest reactions, the quickest instincts and no mistakes. One mistake can mean a fall or worse. You have to hold it together for a long time,” said Kofold. “I certainly didn’t make any news headlines, but for me that was a personal high point.”

In the dressage arena, his most memorable time was when he and Donatelli took the reserves at the USDF Regionals. “You can’t stuff a horse into a Grand Prix test, they have to rise to the occasion. It is so heartwarming when your horse tries that hard for you. I love it!”