OCALA, FL (352today.com) – It’s been more than a decade since Will Coleman’s first Olympic selection.
The 3-day eventer is no stranger to international competition. He had the distinction of being the first American to win the prestigious CCIO 4-star at the Concours Hippique International Officiel in Aachen, Germany, in 2021. In that competition, Coleman and Off the Record, a horse he’s been riding since 2015, took top honors against the world’s best.
The rider/horse combination will have the opportunity to distinguish themselves again in Paris during the 2024 Olympic games.
Coleman, 41, described his selection to the U.S. team for the Paris games as a huge honor.
“It’s the culmination of a lot of really hard work, some really great support from a lot of people, my family, my wife, my incredible owners, sponsors and for the whole team. It’s obviously a wonderful thing,” said Coleman.
Eventing is an equestrian sport that is composed of three phases: dressage, showjumping and cross-country. It typically takes place over three days.
Coleman finished 37th individually in the 2012 London Olympic Games, on a horse named Twizzel, but hopes to improve upon that performance this summer.
“I was pretty young when I was named to the London squad,” said Coleman. “I was in my 20s. Equestrian sport is kind of different from other Olympic sport. The average age of the competitors in what you would call your peak age, the prime age of their careers is much older than other sports. I was still pretty young and inexperienced. As a horseperson, a horse trainer, I feel a little more seasoned.”
Off the Record is a 15-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding, who is also known by his barn name Timmy. Coleman has had the opportunity to see Timmy develop, bringing him up the levels, and evolve into an elite athlete.
“He’s been an amazing partner. He’s a wonderful animal, and we’ve had him since the very beginning,” said Coleman. “He started his career with us, it’s a proud moment for us, with him being named to the squad. He’s sort of been like a child that you’ve raised.”
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Coleman says Timmy possesses attributes found in all outstanding athletes – character, courage, tenacity and an indefatigable quality that makes him successful. Additionally, international competition doesn’t seem to faze Timmy as he’s competed at a number of the biggest events in the world.
“He has the heart of a champion,” said Coleman. “What he lacks in talent, he more than makes up for in effort, with kind of a persistence to do the sport. He’s an amazing creature. We’re lucky to be part of his career.”
Coleman was born in New York and grew up in Virginia. He trains out of Okonokos Farm in Ocala, and says the operation has been the perfect place for him to develop horses.
“One of my greatest supporters is the Booth family, who bought the farm for us as a winter training base back in 2019,” said Coleman. “All I can say is that it’s been an absolute game changer for us as a program to have a facility like that. Being based in Ocala has provided us with access to so many different competitive opportunities for the horses and has just made us that much better as a program, as a group that aspires to compete in things like the Olympic games. We’re eternally grateful to the Booths, and we love being able to winter in Ocala.”