101 Eventing Tips: Essentials for Combined Training and Horse Trials (101 Tips) [Paperback]

James C. Wofford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2006 | Series: 101 Tips

Blue ribbon-winning techniques for dressage, cross-country and jumping

Editorial Reviews

Review

In Praise of James Wofford's Training the Three-Day Event Horse and Rider:

 

"Anyone who aspires to train or work with horses should be able to learn something from this wily horseman. I wholeheartedly recommend his splendid book to any eventer, young or old."--Captain Mark Phillips, U.S. Equestrian Team three-day event coach

From the Back Cover

Eventing, known as the “complete competition,” requires the same horse-and-rider team to complete a dressage test, a demanding cross-country obstacle course, and a show-jumping round on the same or successive days.

The author, one of this country’s most successful competitors and trainers, offers a range of advice on selecting a compatible horse and appropriate tack and rider apparel, creating suitable and realistic training programs for all three phases, and preparing for and then competing in an entry-level event.

James C. Wofford competed on U.S. Equestrian Team three-day event squads for two decades, during which he won two Olympic team silver medals and an individual World Championship bronze medal. Now based in Upperville, Virginia, Wofford is one of this country’s leading trainers whose students have won many major national and international eventing titles. He is also a well-known television commentator and magazine columnist.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: The Lyons Press; 1 edition (January 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1592281990
• ISBN-13: 978-1592281992
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #380,672 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Biographical Information:
James C. Wofford

James C. (Jim) Wofford, 64, was born and raised on a horse farm in Milford, Kansas. He is a graduate of Culver Military Academy, and the School of Business at the University of Colorado (B.S. Bus. Admin. '69). Wofford, a 3-time Olympian, has spent his life with horses, and is one of the best-known Eventing trainers in the world today. A Hall of Fame member of both the United States Eventing Association and the Culver Military Academy, Wofford trains at his farm in Upperville, Va., and travels extensively, teaching and giving clinics.
He has had at least one student on every U.S. Olympic, World Championship, and Pan-American team since 1978.All four members of the U.S.Bronze medal team at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as well as David O'Connor, the Individual Gold medal winner, were graduates of Wofford's program. In addition, 3 out of the 4 members of the 2002 Gold Medal team at the World Equestrian Games were his former students. Kim Severson, the Individual Silver Medal winner at the 2004 Athens Olympics, is another graduate of Wofford's program, as is Gina Miles, the individual silver medal winner at the 2008 Olympics in Bejing.
He was named USOC Developmental Coach of the Year in both 1998 and 1999.He recently served as the coach for the Canadian Team for the 2002 World Championships, for the Silver Medal Team at the 2003 Pan American Championships, and the 2004 Olympics in Athens. In 2007 Wofford was named a Fellow of the USEA Instructors Certification Program.
Widely sought after as a clinician and coach, Wofford is equally well known as an author. His first book, TRAINING THE 3-DAY EVENT HORSE AND RIDER, is now back in print after selling out the first print run, while his second book, GYMNASTICS: SYSTEMATIC TRAINING OF THE JUMPING HORSE has been met with wide spread approval. His next two books, TAKE A GOOD LOOK AROUND, and 101 EVENTING TIPS, are both available. In addition, he writes a monthly column for Practical Horseman, the largest monthly periodical in the U.S. dedicated to "English" riding.
Beginning with the 1972 Olympics, Wofford has served as the color commentator for many national and international broadcasts, and has worked for NBC, ABC, and PBS. He served as the color commentator for the 2006 NBC Rolex Championships, and for the NBC coverage of the 2006 World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.
Wofford has maintained a life long involvement in the administration of his sport, both nationally and internationally. This continues a family tradition, since his father was a founding member and the first President of the U.S. Equestrian team. He has served as president of the AHSA (now USA-Equestrian), 1st vice-president of the United States Equestrian Team, and Secretary of the USCTA (now U.S. Eventing Association). He served two terms as a member of the FEI Eventing Committee, including 4 years as Vice Chairman. In addition, he has served on numerous other committees during his career.
Wofford was a successful competitor until his retirement in 1986. He was on the 1968 and 1972 Olympic teams, and named to the Olympic team in 1980, winning two Team Silver medals, and one individual Silver medal. He also competed in the 1970 and 1978 World championships, winning Bronze individual and team medals. He won the U.S. National championships five times, on five different horses, and won or placed at many competitions abroad between 1959 and 1986.
He has followed in the footsteps of his family as a competitor. His father, Col. John W. Wofford, was on the 1932 Olympic Show Jumping team, his oldest brother J.E.B., was on the 1952 Olympic Bronze medal 3-Day Event team, his sister-in law, Dawn Palethorpe Wofford, was on the British Olympic Show Jumping team in 1960, and his middle brother, Warren, was 1st reserve to both the U.S. Show Jumping and Eventing teams at the Olympics in 1956.His cousin, William Wofford, was a leading steeplechase rider, whose exploits include winning numerous steeplechase, especially The Virginia Gold Cup, plus Horse of the year honors for his horse Ozymandias.
In addition to Jim's Eventing achievements, he was an active competitor in steeplechase races, rode in numerous horse shows, and fox hunted for over 30 years. Wofford and his wife of 43 years, Gail W.Wofford ex-MFH, live at their farm in Upperville, Va. The Woffords have two daughters, Mrs. Timothy L. (Hillary) Jones, and Mrs. Charles K. (Jennifer) Ince, and 4 grandsons, James Walker Jones, Hudson Wofford Jones, Lewis Kitchell Ince, and Theodore Brown Ince. The entire family still rides. However, when the boys in the family can sneak away, they go fly-fishing as well.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great book for the beginner, but otherwise don't bother, August 6, 2007

By 

CEK "Equestrienne" (Ames, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: 101 Eventing Tips: Essentials for Combined Training and Horse Trials (101 Tips) (Paperback)

It is a well known fact that James Wofford is one of the best instructors of our time and a superior rider. That being said, don't expect an advanced treatise on Eventing from "101 Eventing Tips". The majority of the tips are basic at best, often downright obvious (eg: "Follow the Rules"). That is not to say this book doesn't have its place or wouldn't be valuable to many riders, but with most tips only a couple paragraphs in length, there is little depth to the material.

I have never read anything from the "101 Tips" series, and was hoping to find some technical advise on difficult Eventing "questions" (especially in Cross Country, the discipline unique to Eventing), or suggestions for improving my show-day performance which can only be learned after years of experience. While there were some very helpful tips, I would say by and large most of the information is fairly obvious to anyone who has Evented before, or perhaps even just shown before.

I do believe that this book would be valuable to the right rider: a beginner to horses who is thinking about taking up Eventing might find these tips invaluable. However, for the experienced (even mildly so) rider, I would recommend you take your money elsewhere (for example, Mr. Wofford also has an EXCELLENT book on gymnastic exercises).

I was also surprised to discover this book is undersized (I had envisioned a large book from the picture, but it is actually only about 4 or 5 inches long at the spine), and has no color pictures. I was able to read it in less than 2 hours (it may have been even quicker than that, as I was reading it while doing other things). To summarize, this book would be helpful for the beginner interested in Eventing, but don't expect anything truly life-altering. If you have been Eventing before, this book will probably not give you "that edge" that you're looking for. For the intermediate to advanced rider, you will get only paltry value from this book and may be better served looking elsewhere.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good book, January 25, 2008

By 

Niya - See all my reviews

This review is from: 101 Eventing Tips: Essentials for Combined Training and Horse Trials (101 Tips) (Paperback)

This a good book for anyone who is trying to start up in the eventing. However, it offers only basic advice (101 tips) and it is definitely not for a professional rider, or for one who is familiar with the world of 3-day eventing showing. There is not much practical advice of solving actual problems that a competitor may encounter, nor are schooling exercises presented...

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful, May 22, 2009

By 

Beagle0795 (NY, NY United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 101 Eventing Tips: Essentials for Combined Training and Horse Trials (101 Tips) (Paperback)

This little book is a very helpful tome for a rider who would like to begin 3 Day Eventing (such as myself!). Jim Wofford's prose is clear and easy to understand - chock full of good ideas. It is a quick read and a handy guide to go back over to review tips before a show or event.