Will graduated in the Class of 2001, and he moved to Pennsylvania to train with Olympic Rider, Phillip Dutton. In 1999 he was faced with a life threatening brain injury after being thrown from his horse. The concussion he received was significant. When he was medically stabilized and released, he was faced with several months of intensive physical therapy. Will bounced back to be named the United States Eventing Association Young Rider of the Year in 2002. He was also presented with the Lionel Guerrand Hermes Trophy—awarded to the young rider who exemplifies the United States Equestrian Team’s ideals of sportsmanship and horsemanship. 

 

After two years training with Phillip, Will ventured out on his own, and relocated to Southern Pines, North Carolina in 2003. Will went on to represent the United States as a 2003 Gold winning member of the Pan American Team in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic and a reserve member of the 2004 US Olympic Team in Athens, Greece. He returned home from Athens, however, to discover that a lightning strike had destroyed his barn and the majority of his personal property (without injury to horse or human). Ever resilient, Will rented a farm from neighboring residents and went on to represent the United States as a 2006 team member at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany. In 2008, he relocated to a facility just outside of Southern Pines and established his impressive 45-acre facility, Gavilan Farm. 

 

Will has been listed at every Olympic games since 2004 excluding Rio 2016. In 2015 he broke his neck (C6,7) and fought back from this injury to be at the top of the sport. Will is currently a member of the US training squad. He was short-listed for the 2012 London Olympic Games as well as the 2010 World Equestrian Games. He attends regular training sessions for the US team. Will sits on the Active Athlete committee serving the United States Equestrian Federation. As of 2022 he has two horses competing at the highest level with several up-and-coming horses on the way. Eyes are set on Paris 2024! At the Gavilan Farm in Hoffman, North Carolina, Will lives with his six dogs (Beckett, Tilda, Maeve, Ludwig, Hoyt, and Hugo) and his cat, Audrey. Will is an avid supporter of Sandhills Pride, whose mission is to unite, celebrate, and serve LGBTQ people, their allies, and sister organizations, by providing social service, education, and leadership in the sandhills region of North Carolina. Will continues to give back in other ways and has sponsored a child to attend the Episcopal Day School in Southern Pines, North Carolina for the last couple of years, and he continues to be a voice for education and opportunity. He is also a strong supporter of fine arts, theater, and sports. 

 

Will is grateful for all the support and the foundation Trinity School laid for him. If he is in town, he tries to stop by campus to visit former teachers and family members. Will credits several of his former Trinity teachers who’s impact on his life still serves him today: Pam Stoltz, Claudia Fits, Jana Hinkley, Doris Cooper, Janet Stafford, Vina Rahlfs, Cindy Midkiff, Cathy Erlandson, Anne Wemple, Mark Mays, Bill Coombes, and Emily Gifford to name a few. Will has faced adversity in his life but always rises above to meet the challenges head on and soar to success!