In 2023, Olympic eventer Will Coleman received an unsolicited email from a horse dealer about an established four-star horse available for sale in Australia. As he regularly receives ads like this, Coleman didn't think much of it-until his wife, Katie, encouraged him to take a closer look. Before he knew it, Will and his father were on their way to Oz, making a whirlwind three-day trip to try the 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding Diabolo. Not much later, the talented dark bay boarded a plane bound for his new home at Will Coleman Equestrian in Ocala, Florida.
"Dab" was originally purchased at the Holsteiner Verband Elite auction in Germany and imported to Australia by Karen Tinney and Tim Game; he was produced by Australian Olympian Stuart Tinney and his daughter Gemma. With Gemma riding, Dab competed through the four-star level, finishing second in the 2021 Sydney CCI4*-S, and third the following year at Tamworth CCI4*-S, both in Australia. They also completed the 2022 Melbourne (Australia) CCI4*-L, among other events.
But upon arrival in the U.S., Dab struggled to readjust to life in the northern hemisphere, and he had a relatively light 2023 season. However, Will and Dab still managed to do their first four-star together in August at Great Meadows International (Virginia). The pair were leading after dressage and show jumping but opted to withdraw prior to cross country due to the weather. They placed third at both the CCI4*-S at Morven Park (Virginia) in October, and the CCI4*-L at The Event at Terranova (Florida) in November.
"We were just really patient with him, and didn't really do a lot with him last year," Will told the press in 2024. "We just waited for him to tell us when he was feeling like he was ready to go and start competing again."
Dab more than made up for it in 2024, experiencing what many have called a "break out" year. In April, Dab and Will were the only pair to go double clear in both jumping phases at the Kentucky CCI4*-S; they became the second team in history to finish on their dressage score there, winning with a 29.9. Their performance impressed the selectors enough that Dab was added to the short list for the 2024 Paris Olympic eventing team; he was later named Will's direct reserve, behind his long-time partner (and fellow USEF/EQUUS Foundation Horse Stars Hall of Famer) Off the Record. But at training camp, Will's new ride sparkled so brightly that Dab was called up to a team position.
Unfortunately, an ill-timed abscess meant that Dab and Will did not end up competing in Paris. But shortly after returning to the US, Dab bested 41 other entries to win the $60,000 Adequan Advanced Final at the USEA American Eventing Championships (Kentucky), and in late September, won the CCI4*-S at Plantation Field International (Pennsylvania), his second win at that level during the season. With 24 FEI starts, Dab has only finished outside of the top ten at two events. In recognition of his spectacular season, Diabolo was named a 2024 USEF International Horse of Honor.
After winning at Plantation, Will told reporters that Dab was so excited prior to cross country he had trouble getting the gelding into the start box.
"He could sense what was going on," Will told reporters. "He loves his job. Once he gets out there, he settles very quickly, and he's a lovely horse."
Will went on to acknowledge that it is challenging to take over the ride on a horse from someone else, and that his partnership with Dab is "still evolving."
"The biggest thing about him as a horse is just how much he wants to do it for you," said Will. "He's such a genuine animal, and that's a wonderful quality if you can channel it in the right way. I think we're doing that; we've just got to keep doing it until we get as far as we can go."
