With three white socks, a broad blaze and a bright bay coat, Off the Record has always been a stunner. However, when U.S. Olympic eventer Will Coleman first met the talented Irish Sport Horse as a 4-year-old, "Timmy" had quite the penchant for roguish behavior; on his website, Coleman describes the gelding as a "tough nugget" during his early years. But as he matured, those same qualities helped Timmy develop into a fierce competitor, consistently displaying the perfect blend of athleticism, courage and finesse. With a growing list of top finishes at elite events both here and abroad-and a reputation for reliably delivering solid results in all three phases -- it is no wonder that Off the Record was recognized by the U.S. Equestrian Federation as a 2022 International Horse of Honor.
Timmy came to Coleman through his friend Richard Sheane of Cooley Farm in Ireland, a program well-known for producing top class eventers. Like many of Coleman's horses, Off the Record began his eventing career in the US Eventing Association Young Event Horse program, and he finished 9th at the East Coast 5-year-old Championships in 2014. But it was when Timmy won the reserve title at the USEF National Two-Star Championship held at Fair Hill (Maryland) in October 2017 that the then 8-year-old really came into his own.
A year later, Off the Record made his debut at the advanced level, and since then, has ascended to the highest levels of the sport. In 2021, Coleman and Off the Record made history at the CHIO Aachen (Germany) CCIO4*-S. Not only did they lead the Land Rover U.S. Eventing team to its best-ever second place finish in the FEI Eventing Nation's Cup, they also became the first American pair to win this prestigious competition.
Following his historic win in Aachen, Coleman shared these thoughts on his
Will Coleman Eventing Facebook Page:
"I first learned about Aachen when I was about 12 years old . . . Both then and now, it has been cemented in my mind as being the best horse show in the world, showcasing only the highest quality of horse sport. The wall of winners is a list of some of the greatest horsemen and horsewomen in equestrian history. To have my name now up there with them is beyond humbling . . .I am so grateful for this experience, for this horse, and for the many amazing people connected to him."
The pair continued to further expand their resume in 2022. In April, Coleman and Off the Record made their second career appearance at the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event presented by MARS Equestrian CCI5*-L-one of only two 5* eventing competitions held in the U.S. - finishing just outside of the top 10. Two months later, they returned to the CHIO Aachen, again as members of the Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team, where they finished 6th individually. After a 3rd place finish at the Great Meadow (Virginia) CCI4*-S in August, Coleman and Off the Record were named to the Land Rover U.S. Eventing team set to compete at the 2022 FEI World Eventing Championships in Pratoni del Vivaro, Italy at the end of September.
Coleman and Off the Record's performance in Pratoni showcased the maturity of their partnership, as they delivered strong performances in all three phases. After a 26.4 dressage score, the pair were trailblazers for the Americans on cross-country day, finishing with no jumping faults and just two seconds over time. With medals on the line, the pair produced the U.S. team's only clear show jump round - securing both the team silver medal (the first for U.S. eventers at a World Championship since 2002) and qualifying Team USA for the Paris 2024 Olympics. Coleman and Timmy finished as the highest-placed individual U.S. combination, taking seventh place overall.
