50 SIDELINES SEPTEMBER 2014
FOR HORSE PEOPLE • ABOUT HORSE PEOPLE
By Doris Degner-Foster
Although James Lala didn’t compete as a junior rider, he has
worked hard to make up for that lost time, training with some of the
most respected riders in the business. He also held the position
as head trainer at the prestigious Ox Ridge hunt club, turning the
club’s troubled finances around and putting them well into the
black.
A graduate of CW Post University, James has applied his
marketing talents toward bringing much-needed services to
Florida. Competing abroad and importing hundreds of horses
gave him the valuable firsthand experience to operate Wellington
Quarantine, a full-service
C.E.M. import and export
facility. With a desire to
help others in developing
their skills as he did,
James started the Citrus
Horse Show Series —
economical,
one-day
shows targeted toward
developing riders and
young horses in Florida.
James has also worked
hard to bring the Southeast
Medal Finals to the
Jacksonville Equestrian
Center. He arrived at this
point in his career through
e
James Lala:
a circuitous route.
“I didn’t own a horse until I got into college; I had to work in the
barn to get rides,” James said. “My parents would pay for one
lesson a week and anything extra I had to do on my own.” He got
off to a good start, training with Robert Hoskins after an instructor
at a summer camp encouraged James’ parents to continue riding
lessons for him.
“In college, my father loaned me $5,000 to get my first horse,”
James said. “I didn’t have much equitation experience. I was a little
bit behind everybody so I had to work extra hard to catch up.” He
went to work for trainer Joe Dotoli during the summer break before
his senior year and was offered the job as local trainer, but his
parents insisted he finish
college. James is glad
that he got his degree,
but he did go directly into
the horse business after
graduation. He said, “I
went to work [full time]
for the Dotolis, but I didn’t
ride for them [right away]
because, at the time, they
had Peter Wylde riding for
them.”
James went on to train
with Geoff Teal, Katie
Prudent and Joe Fargis,
where he developed his
personal philosophy. He
James Lala
Photo by Carrie Wirth
James teaches a lesson to Ginny Confer.
Photo by Christian Palmer
Take Advantage of the
Talent Around You!
