Jim Koford and Hatsjie B Have a Nose for Winning, Double Victory at Inaugural 2023 CDI Quakertown

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2023 CDI Quakertown

American James "Jim" Koford and the Dutch warmblood Hatsjie B showed they have a nose for winning, bagging a double victory at the inaugural 2023 CDI Quakertown on 23 - 25 June 2023. The pair won the Grand Prix and Kur to Music, leaving room for Christopher Hickey to capture the Grand Prix Special.

A Blood Transfusion for CDI Sport on the East Coast

The 2023 "Rhythm and Blues CDI 3*" in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, was held at Monika Dujardin's Rhythm & Blues Equestrian Center under the auspices of the ESDCTA, the Eastern States Dressage and Combined Training Association.

For the past three decades American high performance dressage riders would compete at a string of CDI's on the East coast in the summer months and move to Florida for the winter period. The expansion of the Global Dressage Festival in Wellington and now the World Equestrian Center in Ocala, FL have made many affluent horse lovers decide to stay year-round in Florida, which led to the East Coast CDI's bleeding the death.

Only Dressage at Devon survived. However in 2022 and 2023 a remarkable return of international shows in the north east of America have revealed renewed interest of sponsors willing to bring back life and finance new shows. While the once so popular CDI Saugerties has not reappeared on the calendar, the Mid-Atlantic Dressage Festival (Lexington, VA), the Rhythm and Blue CDI (Quakertown, PA), Dressage at the Park (Allentown, NJ) and the expanded Dressage at Devon (Devon, PA) testify that the venues are resuscitating the sport in the area. Devon made a huge effort to attract the crowds and riders by hosting a masterclass with Olympian Sabine Schut-Kery last year and one with Cathrine Dufour this year.

The east coast summer season will end in October with a CDI in Tryon, NC, before riders return to Florida.

A Nose for Winning

Koford and Hatsjie B, winners at CDI Quakertown

Thirteen Grand Prix riders gathered for the big tour classes at the CDI Quakertown and it was James Koford on Christina Morin-Graham's 11-year old KWPN gelding Hatsjie B (by Charmeur x Contango x Farmer) who proved to have a nose for winning. The pair won the Grand Prix with 68.065% and the Kur to Music with 70.565%.

"I was quite happy with how Archie felt in the Grand Prix," James told Eurodressage. "The footing at the show was like riding on a magic carpet. Our goal was to be able to execute a clean test and maintain rideability throughout. Our teamwork seemed to becoming more solid. We both stayed organized and focused. I’m still figuring Archie out. He is very sensitive and I’m still learning how to ride him when he’s feeling insecure. For example, the freestyle was the last class on the last day of the show. Archie was a bit triggered by all the small tour horses leaving the show grounds. There weren’t many horses left on the show grounds when I got on him. I felt like he had a stick of dynamite in one hand and a lit match in the other. I was riding on the razor edge so I had to be quite careful. Thankfully we were able to maintain composer and complete a solid performance."

A New Perspective on Life and New Project with Archie

Koford returned to the international arena after a three-year break. His last equine partner was the striking Friesian cross-bred mare Adiah HP who had her own fan club clapping and cheering near the arena. Adiah sold to an amateur and Koford took a step back from high performance sport after parting with Adiah and losing both his parents in a few years time.

Koford and Hatsjie at the CDI Quakertown

"There are times in your life when you can really go for it—your career and your job are important—but I needed to sort of rest here for a little bit, slow down and spend time with the family,” Jim told The Chronicle of the Horse.

The 60-year old professional from Southern Pines, North Carolina, spent most of his time teaching clinics, but got slightly bored from the monotony of the job and found new inspiration and appetite for sport with Hatsjie, whom he received the ride on in September 2022 and is nicknamed Archie.

"I just lost both my parents, and so this definitely has been a different season for my life that way as well,” he added to The Chronicle of the Horse. “Going out like you do on Adiah, where you’re beating your chest, that’s not my personal mental space right now anyway. So actually, it probably is better that I have a horse that’s a little more understated. It puts life in a different perspective. [Getting to work with Archie] really gave me something to sort of pull myself into and sort of gave me something to be excited about and focus on.”

Bless You

Bred by Mrs. Fievez, the bay gelding was born at De Beukenvallei in Leende, The Netherlands, the yard of Dutch Grand Prix riders, breeders and horse dealers Joyce Lenaerts and Marcel Sterrenburg. The gelding was born in 2012 and named "hatsjie," the Dutch onomatopaeic word for a sneeze (ha-choo).

"The breeder is my mom. We owned a few horses with her privately," Joyce Lenaerts told Eurodressage. "We thought Hatchie was a funny name. We sold him as a 3-year old when he was just under saddle."

The gelding made a journey before landing into the ownership of Lithuanian owner and rider Viktorija Kundrotaite. This eventing rider, who also does dressage, competed him nationally in 2020 and made their CDI debut at international small tour level at the CDI Kunkiai (LTHU) in 2021.

"I bought him from a Dutch dealer in 2020," Viktorija told Eurodressage. "He was green and he learnt all the Grand Prix movements here in our stable. We had some good shows at small tour level. He was a nice and clever horse. We have been with dressage horses a lot, but this Hatsjie was one of the best I had

After two years together, Viktorija sold him to American Christina Morin, who had discovered the horse in an online ad.

"Christina saw an interesting ad and did a bit online sleuthing and took a chance and bought him directly from the owner," Koford told Eurodressage. "If they don’t suit her or Silva Martin, I get a phone call. Our typical conversation goes something like “I haven’t told you about this horse….'"

Koford began riding Archie in the autumn of 2022 and they made their show debut shortly afterwards. They moved up to GP level this winter and had their CDI debut in May at the CDI Lexington, VA, where they were second in the Grand Prix (67.674%) and won the Special (65.851%).

With Kundrotaite at the 2021 CDI Kunkiai
(Photo © Alma Totoryte)

"He’s very, very intense and very insecure. And when he got insecure, he got quite physical. I totally have to go outside of my comfort zone as a rider when I ride him. It is such a good discipline because I just have to be so thoughtful and just not let myself escalate or get excited—ride every movement; try to get a 7 in every movement. Now is not the time to power up. [I have to think] just give him confidence in the ring so that he understands his job; give him the quietest, best, most confidence-building ride I can. He’s just such a talented horse. His sort of intensity is bigger than his experience," Koford told The Chronicle of the Horse.

Enjoy the Journey

In his interview with The Chronicle of the Horse, Koford admitted that his future with Hatsjie B will be one without pressure, taking it one day at a time.

"As I’m growing older, I do this because I love the horses, I love this sport, and it’s fun to compete. But it’s not like I’m driven by what color ribbon I got or what competition I qualified for. It’s so fun to still be able to be this! I’m 60 years old and still to be able to play it again," he said.

Koford continued, "the hunger you have when you’re younger, that you want to make an Olympics or want to do this—that’s not what makes your life good or bad. I’m so fortunate to have a wonderful owner, a wonderful horse to ride, and a great career. I’m just going to plan to enjoy the ride. Enjoy the journey. See where it goes."

When asked what is next for them, Koford told Eurodressage, "Archie has just started the Grand Prix this spring. With each show, his confidence is growing. We have a bit of a break now until late August."