Badminton first-timers: Katherine Coleman — ‘It is completely surreal’
Katherine Coleman riding LONGWOOD () in the CIC** Section B at Barbury International near Marlborough, Wiltshire, UK on the 5-6 July 2014
(Image credit: Peter Nixon)
“I’m very excited, but it’s nerve-wracking,” says American rider Katherine Coleman of her fast-approaching Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials debut.
Katherine, who is now based full-time in the UK at a yard near Marlborough in Wiltshire, has come a long way since her native New Orleans childhood days. She went on to study business management at the University of Georgia and had her first taste of international eventing in a one-star at Lexington in 2006. In 2012, she decided to take the plunge and move to the UK to make a proper go of eventing.
Badminton final scores
Woody’s cross-country record is solid with countless clear around three-star tracks.
“He’s a super cross-country horse and I’m excited to run him around Badminton,” says Katherine. “He has been a little more challenging in the showjumping though, where he gets nervous and tight which results in rolling poles. He always showjumps very well at home though, so I’ve been taking him to plenty of jumping shows to get some ring practice in — I have to ride him in a particular way as he likes to get deep to his fences, so as long as I don’t get nervous and forget how to ride, it should be OK.”
Katherine describes Woody as a “grumpy old man” in the stable.
“He’s spoilt rotten — he’s my groom’s favourite and he knows it,” she laughs. “He’s a bit of a loner too — he would much rather be out in the field on his own.”
Continued below…
Badminton first-timers: Sarah Parkes — ‘you have to watch his front and back ends but he has the biggest heart’
Badminton first-timers: Tom Jackson — the ‘inappropriate’ first horse taking his rider to his first four-star
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