“I was lucky to grow up in a ‘horsey’ family,” is one thing William ‘Will’ Coleman III is grateful for. An skilled eventer and established champion equestrian, Will Coleman’s expertise earned him a spot within the US London Olympics workforce in 2012, at 20. Nevertheless, the 41-year-old’s lengthy and profitable profession was a results of rising up with horses and his mother and father’ encouragement.
The highest-place US rider within the 2023 FEI Eventing World Athlete Rankings, was born to a household who beloved horses and the game. Born Might eighth, 1983, in Locust Valley, New York, Will Coleman is the eldest of three boys born to William and Wade Coleman. From the time that 41-year-old athlete might recall he remembered his father’s need to personal a horse farm, and that’s precisely what the household did when he moved to a farm in Charlottesville, Virginia. Thus started younger six-year-old Coleman’s journey into horse driving.
Will Coleman’s first coach
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Will Coleman’s mom didn’t compete in equestrian occasions however beloved driving horses, she was an encouraging presence within the equestrian’s life. The eventer’s father then again did compete and was referred to as a skillful rider on the newbie stage. When the household moved to Virginia, his mother and father introduced house TJ, a Shetland pony, on a flatbed truck.
“I owe a lot to that pony; he gave me my start,” mentioned Coleman. Nevertheless, it was Will Coleman’s father, who was affectionately referred to as ‘Big Will’, who began teaching the teen on TJ. ‘”My father, while considered an amateur, was an accomplished rider,” the Olympian told Sidelines Magazine. Big Will enjoyed fox hunting and competed in traditional equestrian events.
Will Coleman’s father competed at Intermediaire I, in dressage and in addition participated in small Grand Prix. Nevertheless, the equestrian’s father didn’t practice his boy within the sport from the start. At first, he and his siblings would study to trip round within the rolling looking fields of Virginia. It gave them the liberty to study and develop in a means a designed course by no means might.
Nevertheless, his mom and father additionally beloved studying extra in regards to the horses they cared for. Whereas instructing their sons trip, Large Will and his higher half would usually invite and study from trainers. They instilled their curiosity to study of their son, encouraging him to try the completely different equestrian disciplines.
Will Coleman realized underneath his father for over six years till he attended an Olympic clinic at 13. Karen and David O’Connor have been the instructors of that occasion and it amazed younger Coleman. This was the start of the teen’s love for eventing, and he progressed quickly. Coleman started usually coaching with the Olympians and by 2004, had made the Olympics shortlist. The seed that his mother and father planted bloomed right into a profitable profession. Even right this moment, Coleman’s mother and father’ dedication to the game stays intact.
Spreading the love for the game as a household
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After studying and discovering success in eventing, Will Coleman began his institute Will Coleman Equestrian in 2007 in Virginia and Florida. In the identical yr, he met his now spouse Katie Coleman. A fellow eventer, Kathryn Thornton shared a deep ardour for horses. They finally began courting and obtained married in 2014. Since then, Will Coleman discovered each his father and his spouse serving to him make WCE a hit.
Katie Coleman’s ardour lies in dressage, and though she hasn’t competed a lot, she is an knowledgeable groom. Coleman’s spouse groomed Pan-American Video games gold medalist Michael Pollard’s horse and earned U.S. Eventing Affiliation’s Groom of the 12 months in 2012. As we speak she helps her husband with managing the yard, horses, instructing, and extra at WCE. In the meantime, his father continues to be an encouraging presence.
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Whereas his mom now not rides, his father continues to take action. Large Will “serves as a Joint MFH for Keswick Hunt Club and is a long-time subscriber to the Piedmont Fox Hounds in Middleburg, VA.” in accordance with the Will Coleman Equestrian official web site. His father has gained the Theodora A. Randolph North American Discipline Hunter Championships twice. In reality, as not too long ago as 2016 the lifelong equestrian lover gained the Virginia Hunter Discipline Championships.
The fifth-ranked FEI Eventing World Athlete owes a big a part of his success to what his mother and father taught him as a child. From operating free within the fields of Virginia to proving his value on the worldwide stage, Will Coleman couldn’t have completed it with out his mother and father’ assist. later this month, the 41-year-old equestrian will head to the Paris Olympics alongside Caroline Pamukcu and Boyd Martin. It’s gained’t be stunning if the eventing icon’s household get noticed within the stands cheering him on atop the best stage.