74 SIDELINES JULY 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Dani Moritz
Michael Kocher wasn’t entirely sure an IHSA (Intercollegiate
Horse Show Association) team was for him. In fact, he wasn’t
convinced that college in general suited him. However, the
sophomore at Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD) and
recipient of the school’s Presidential Scholarship is now happy to
call SCAD home. An instant success, Michael took reserve in the
open flat IHSA National Championships last year, securing third
for his team, and this May he finished fourth out of 36 competitors
in the Cacchione Cup for Best Rider and received the Equestrian
Coach Achievement of Excellence Award. Things are looking up
for this young rider.
Sidelines
caught up with Michael, who is from
Tryon, North Carolina, in a quiet moment and got the inside scoop
on his career.
Why did you decide to pursue riding?
My dad is from a horse family. It started with my grandmother.
She had a lesson program up in Pennsylvania. That’s where my
dad got his start, so he became a horse trainer and started his
own business. I really didn’t start riding until I was like 12 or 13,
but my parents were pretty cool about it. They didn’t force me into
it. They just kind of let me decide if I wanted to do it and originally
I didn’t, but then I got back in the saddle and it took off from there.
What was it like growing up in Tryon, North Carolina?
It’s been great because we have summer horse shows
throughout June and July in Tryon so it’s really convenient that we
get to stay close to home. The horse shows are only a few miles
away. And the shows are starting to get bigger and bigger and I
think in the next few years they’re going to be pretty significant. It’s
been a blessing being in the Tryon area because of the big horse
background. I really enjoyed growing up there.
We understand you didn’t go straight to college from high
school. Why did you ultimately decide to go to college?
When I had graduated high school, I wasn’t sure if I wanted
to go to college right away so I took a gap year. In the gap year,
e
The Unconventional Road to College
I worked for Castlewood Farm in Wellington, Florida, for Alan
Korotkin (who doubles as a
Sidelines
blogger!) as their rider and,
basically half way through WEF, this representative, the director
[of SCAD’s program] at the time, approached me and my mom
got it set up. She drove down to Florida and I sat down and had
some coffee with her. It went fairly well, but I still wasn’t sold on it.
I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go to school right away. My mom is an
announcer so she works with a lot of judges, and she had a lot of
her friends call me. Basically, I decided that it’s four years of my
life and went for it.
What degree did you decide on and why?
I was undecided originally. I didn’t want to do an equestrian
studies major just in case I got interested in something else and
horses wasn’t what I wanted to do. So I chose sound design, which
is a branch of film. We get to work on the soundtracks in films. I’m
also an equestrian study minor so I get
some of that background as well.
My mom is from a musical
background and she was actually the
one to encourage me to check it out. I
was worried that because I didn’t have
a strong musical background I’d be
weak, but I’m actually pretty interested
in film. I’d like to eventually shoot
outdoor documentaries on the side as a
hobby. At first, it was a random pursuit,
but now I’m really getting into it.
Are you enjoying being on SCAD’s
IHSA team?
At first, it was pretty different and
I was skeptical as to what it would
be like because of the team concept
rather than in the normal horse shows
where it’s individuals. IHSA is also
Michael Kocher
Photo by Katherine Cameron
The Kocher family
Photo by Elisabeth Moore
