Buck Davidson

Born: February 11, 1976
Hometown: Ocala, Florida

Davidson and My Boy Bobby. (Photo by Mike McNally)

The Davidson name is legendary in the eventing world and Buck has focused on following in the footsteps of his father Bruce, an Olympic medalist and the only person to ever win back-to-back World Championships. Though much of his younger years were devoted primarily to baseball, a sports related injury changed his focus. Always a rider, Davidson began his career as a fox hunter and timber jockey.

Davidson has an impressive history as a young rider. He has won the Markham Trophy as the highest placing Young Rider in a USET Championship three times, and was the 1996 Young Rider of the Year. In his CCI4* debut in 1998, he placed sixth at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event on Trans Am A Flirt. The two following years with Pajama Game, the Morgan-cross that many felt wouldn’t compete on an international level, he placed 10th and then fourth in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. Also in 1999, he and Pajama Game were part of the U.S. team in the Pan American Games.

In 2003, Davidson placed third in the USET Three Star Spring Championship and fourth overall in the Foxhall Cup CCI3*. At the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2005, Davidson was 11th and 13th with Let It Rain and Private Treaty, respectively, two horses known for their sensitive nature. At that year’s Jersey Fresh, Hyperlite provided Davidson with his very first CCI3* victory.

Since importing BallyNoe Castle RM – or Reggie as he is called, after fellow super jock Reggie Miller -- as a young horse, Davidson has always maintained that he is all class. In 2008, Davidson’s faith in the horse was rewarded with an immaculate performance at the CCI3* at Jersey Fresh where they were second.

In 2009, Davidson had his most successful season to date, winning horse trials at every level and collecting a number of strong finishes at three-day events. With My Boy Bobby, Davidson won the CIC3* at both The Fork and Wits End. In the spring of 2009, the pair was third at the CCI4* in Kentucky, making Davidson the top-placed American, winning him his second Rolex/USEF National CCI4* Championship. 

Not to be outdone by his stablemate, BallyNoe Castle RM also collected a number of good results in 2009. Reggie collected ribbons up and down the east coast at horse trials in the spring. He capped off the first half of the season with a top 15 finish in his first CCI4* at Rolex. He followed up this good result with a pair of second place CIC3* finishes at Maui Jim and Wits End. In September, Davidson and Reggie traveled to the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials CCI4* where they were once again in the top 15.

2010 once again proved to be a successful year for Davidson. With My Boy Bobby, Davidson replicated his win from 2009 in the CIC3* at The Fork Horse Trials and placed second in the CIC3*-W at The Event at Rebecca Farm. BallyNoe Castle RM collected wins at the Advanced level at Rocking Horse Winter II Horse Trials and Millbrook Horse Trials. With the talented Thoroughbred gelding, Titanium, Davidson finished second in the Advanced division at The Fork. Three weeks later, the pair completed the horse’s first CCI4* at the Rolex Kentucky Three-DayEvent in 16th place. Davidson completed the 2010 season by representing the U.S. at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games with BallyNoe Castle RM.

Davidson competed across the county as well as across the world in 2011. He and BallyNoe Castle RM completed the Badminton CCI4* and were the highest-placed American pair in 21st place. In the summer, the pair won the CIC3* at Richland Park and Advanced divisions at both the Millbrook Horse Trials and the Morven Park Fall Horse Trials. They also finished second in the CIC3* at The Event at Rebecca Farm and at the Nutrena/USEA American Eventing Championships in the Advanced division. With The Apprentice, Davidson won the CIC2* at the Plantation Field Horse Trials and the CCI2* at Chattahoochee Hill Horse Trials. 

With the diminutive mare, Absolute Liberty Davidson has found a star for the future. In the spring of 2010, the pair was second in the CIC2* at Richland Park and fourth in the CCI2* at the Ocala Horse Properties International Three Day Event. In 2011, Davidson moved the mare up to the Advanced level, collecting a fourth place finish at the CCI3* at Bromont and a third place finish at Millbrook Horse Trials. After finishing sixth at the Mandatory Outing at Richland Park, Davidson and Absolute Liberty were chosen to represent the U.S. at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico. The pair won Individual Bronze and was part of the Gold medal-winning team. 

Davidson suffered a broken collarbone in February of 2012, but that did not slow him down. He finished first and second with Titanium and Absolute Liberty respectively at the Intermediate level at the Rocking Horse Spring Horse Trials. Davidson also finshed second at the Intermediate level with BallyNoe Castle RM at The Fork.