Audio Highlights of the 2006 Rolex Course Walk

By Kate Lindon

Listen to Jim Wofford on his Practical Horseman-sponsored course walk at the 2006 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event.

Over 200 enthusiastic Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event attendees joined eventing trainer Jim Wofford on a course walk on April 28, 2006. Listen below as Jim discusses jump construction, galloping speeds, various jumps and more.

: Jim welcomes everyone to the course walk.

Welcome to the course walk.

Take a look at the jump construction.

: Phillip Dutton and Amazing Odyssey jump Fence 25, the Dray

: Ian Roberts and Napalm.

How horses are affected by the undulating fields.

: Kelli Temple and Paris gallop away after Fence 7ABC, the Pond.

The riders must maintain a certain speed.

: Jim explains how to jump a spread like Fence 2, the Woodsman's Cottage, which has a 6'6" spread.

How to jump a spread in theory (and what actually happens!)

: Fence 6, the Trakehner - 3'10" high, 9'3" base spread

Jumping Fence 6, the Trakehner.

: Andrew Hoy, 2006 Rolex winner, walks Fence 26AB's short route.

The difference between the good and really good riders.

: Fence 10, the Hammock - 3'11" high

Jumping Fence 10, the Hammock.

: Fence 19, the Fish - 3'11" high brush before the Head of the Lake

Jumping Fence 19, the Fish, and its construction.

: Fence 22, the Creek Oxer - 3'11" high, 9'9" spread

Jumping Fence 22, the Creek Oxer.

--Photos by Hunter Messineo

Jim Wofford has represented the U.S. in eventing at three Olympics and two World Championships; he has won the U.S. National Championship five times on five different horses. As a coach, he has had at least one student on every U.S. Olympic, World Championship and Pan American team since 1978.

For Jim's in-depth analysis of the Rolex course's most challenging questions, see Practical Horseman's August 2006 issue.

Read Nancy Jaffer's past Rolex postcards on EquiSearch.com.