James Koford Claims Emotional Victory on Opening Day of 2024 US Dressage Finals Presented by Adequan®
Day one of intense competition in the four-day 2024 US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® began on Thursday, November 7, and yielded the first four new champions of the year. Each one came away with a winner’s blanket, a sash, and a slice of the $125,000 prize money on offer at the Kentucky Horse Park. The US Dressage Finals presented by Adequan® runs through Sunday, November 10.
James Koford’s delight at winning the Open Third Level Championship was palpable, and the experienced rider choked back tears as he explained why his 72.375% performance with his good friend Emily Brollier’s six-year-old Secret Royal 3 (by Secret x Rubin Royal) was so poignant. Brollier had a bad fall in the spring of 2024 that resulted in an emergency craniotomy, two fractured vertebrae, broken ribs, and two weeks in a coma on a ventilator.
“She woke up from the coma, and I felt like I got a call from beyond the grave because we didn’t know if she was going to be okay,” explained Koford, who started competing the horse in May. “She asked if I would take ‘Roy,’ which of course I would — anything she needed — so she shipped him to me in Florida.
“It started out as altruistic to help a friend, but it turns out that I love this horse and riding him is so fun,” added Koford, who had to go out and buy a new short jacket as it has been so long since he competed below small tour. “He’s unbelievable and sometimes, like today in the warm-up, I get chill bumps. He’s whetted my appetite to sit on a horse of this caliber again. He trots around and you think he’s nice, but the mechanics when you close him up are extraordinary.
“I just wanted to do a good job for Emily, so it’s great to share this with her and her family. I blew a walk pirouette, which I was afraid would be an opening opportunity for Kassie [Barteau, who finished second on Fiorenzo MLW with 71.792%], but I managed to find some points elsewhere. At shows I usually just go round the warm-up talking smack to people half my age, and then they really enjoy beating me,” concluded the 62-year-old with a grin. “They may be younger and have more physicality, but I’m old and sneaky and I’ll find those points!”
Finals Specialist Delivers Again
Kate Fleming-Kuhn of Star West Dressage in New Berlin, IL, continued her sparkling run of form from the Regionals with her own eight-year-old gelding Franzsis HSR (by Franziskus x Sandro Hit). They topped the leaderboard in the Prix St. Georges Open even though she described him as “a bit of an imp” at home. Their 70.931% was the only score over 70% in the class of 15 starters, and it also secured them the Miki Christophersen Perpetual Trophy, presented by USDF Region 4.
“Today he was really on my aids,” affirmed Fleming-Kuhn. “We’ve been working throughout the summer to continue to increase his degree of engagement, and I really felt like today that came together. That’s exciting for what the future holds for him. The dream is always to make it to big tour, and he has the stuff for that – no doubt.”
Franzsis was bred in the U.S. by Anita Nardine at Hidden Springs Ranch, and Fleming-Kuhn bought him at two weeks old after seeing him “move like a cat” in his foal video. She has produced him herself throughout his career, and he has a great record at Finals in recent years, having been a champion in 2022 and a reserve champion in 2023.
“I’ve never ridden a horse with his athleticism and sensitivity, so it’s been a learning process to be the best partner to him and to access his energy and his concentration within that sensitivity,” she explained.
“He’s a bit of a playboy; he’s a sweet horse, but he has a lot of personality and can be a handful on the ground – he’s notorious for going to turnout on his hind legs, but he’s wonderful to ride,” added Fleming-Kuhn who named “Franzie” after both his sire Fraziskus and her grandfather Francis.
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