Jim Wofford is an eventing icon. As a rider, he competed in three Olympics—in 1968, 1972 and 1980, winning two team silver medals and one individual silver medal. He also rode in two World Championships in 1970 and 1978, winning individual and team bronze medals. He earned a team gold medal in the 1967 Pan-American Games and captured the U.S. National Championship five times on five different horses.
As a coach, Jim has had countless students on U.S. Olympic, World Championship and Pan American Games teams, including David and Karen O’Connor and Kim Severson. Today he is also a much sought-after clinician. When not teaching, Jim is a prolific author, historian and outdoorsman. His column in “Cross Country with Jim Wofford” has been running in Practical Horseman for more than 13 years.
In this episode, he brings alive the history of the U.S. equestrian team starting with the involvement of his father, Col. John W. Wofford, a graduate of the U.S. Cavalry system and a 1932 Olympian. Jim explains where some of today’s training practices stared, like riders going overseas to compete. He talks about the greats of the sport, including many mentors such as Lars Sederholm, Jack Le Goff, Bert de Némethy and Bill Steinkraus. And Jim shares stories of the two great horses in his life—Kilkenny and Carawich.
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