Tuesday, January 24, 2006

Ocala Winter Horse Trials 1 at The Florida Horse Park

Buck Davidson Competes Five Horses At the Ocala Horse Trials - An Easy Day!
By Shaneen Kohler

This type of schedule is not limited to show days. Buck said he never goes on vacation, because “when you are young, you have to strike while you are hot.” If he has a day or two to himself, he will either give a clinic or spend some time with his New Jersey dressage neighbor, Betsy Steiner, or his Florida jumping friend, Aaron Vale. Plus, since he is on the winter training list for the U.S. Equestrian Federation, “we get training lessons with Capt. Mark Phillips and others.”

Buck also spends time playing basketball, golf, soccer and other sports. While nothing compares to riding, they do satiate Buck’s competitive edge. “Every sport I take part in, I compete. I don’t like to just hit the ball, I like to play a tennis game.” Watch out, though, if Buck isn’t winning. “They say I am not much fun if I am losing,” laughed the die-hard competitor.

Want to see the really competitive side of Buck emerge? Attend a show where he is competing against his five-time Olympian, Bruce Sr. “Are we competitive? Yes. really competitive,” said Buck. “I don’t want him beating me.” It is not that Buck wants his dad to lose. “At the end of the day I would rather have him be second over anyone else,” said Buck with a smile. He said they help each other out, too. “We compare notes and discuss how the course is riding and that kind of stuff,” said Buck.

But Buck and his dad have their differences. For one, Buck said his dad competes “just for the love of it. He is not out to prove anything.” He already has. “By the time he was my age (29) he was a two-time world champion,” said Buck, who admits he is more laid-back than his dad. “Dad loves the horses and I am more a people person. I don’t call on my clients just for money. I call them to say hello…I am lucky that the owners I have are my friends.” He also is honest about their horse’s performance. “Sometimes I tell them their horses are great, but not always. They are not great every single day.” When bringing along a young horse, Buck will take his time rather than push them too hard. “These are the horses of the future and I just want to do what is right for them.”