Nancy Kohler
Equestrian Program Director
Email
607.587.9012

Nancy Kohler was appointed director of the Alfred University Equestrian Program prior to the 2007-08 academic year. She brings to AU more than 25 years experience of riding instruction and training hunter/jumpers and lower level dressage horses.

Kohler has been owner of The Willows Farm in Fairview, PA, since January 2004. The facility — which is home to the Mercyhurst College and Allegheny College equestrian teams — provides boarding, training and riding instruction services and has hosted horse shows and summer camps.

She was partner and manager of The Willows, LLC, in Fairview, PA, from July 1997-December 2003. She partnered with two other owners of the 100-stall equestrian facility and held management responsibilities. She trained riders, served as barn manager and staff supervisor, developed and managed horse shows and summer camps, developed Allegheny College’s riding team, supervised student internships, and oversaw maintenance of the buildings, pastures and riding arenas.

Kohler was instructor and show manager for Lake Erie College for more than three years, teaching jumping classes and managing dressage and hunter/jumper shows. She also was a member of the Lake Erie College faculty, teaching a Management of Equine Activities class, and organized instructional clinics. She served as director of the equestrian program at The Andrews School in Willoughby, OH, from 1986-97; was a riding instructor at Hobby Horse Farm in Fairview, PA, from 1980-86; and was barn manager for Marianne Urraro, Erie, PA, from 1979-80.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Penn State University in 1977. During her career, she has trained numerous riders and horses that have won championships and competed nationally. She has been a course designer for schooling and recognized shows and has experience judging schooling shows, hunter/jumper and dressage.

Harry Hurd

Harry Hurd was appointed head coach of the Alfred University Western equestrian team in 2006.

Hurd has ridden, shown, raced and competed in rodeo events with Quarter Horses since 1964. He is a lifetime member of the American Quarter Horse Association and the Empire State Quarter Horse Association and has served as an AQHA judge for 42 years and as an American Paint Horse Association judge for 36 years.

He has owned and operated his own training stable and Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred breeding farm for 42 years and has shown and raced throughout the northeastern and midwestern United States and Canada.

Also active in the local community, Hurd is a former member of the Board of Education at Alfred-Almond Central School District and is a former West Almond (NY) Town Supervisor. He currently serves as the Director of Horses for the Allegany County Fair Board.

Leigh Fischer
Head Coach, English Team

Leigh Fischer was appointed head coach of the Alfred University English equestrian team in 2006.

Fischer has been riding since the age of three and has worked in the equestrian field since 1985. She has trained with Olympic coaches Pert DeNernathy and Pert Ljungquies, Olympic rider Jim Wofford and Germany's dressage gold medalist Gabrielle Grillo and continues to train exclusively with Joe Fargis and Conrad Homfeld.

In addition to coaching at Alfred University, she is currently a riding instructor/trainer for Knox Farm State Park in East Aurora, NY. Previously, she was an instructor/trainer at High Time Stables in Marilla, NY, and for two winters (2003-04) taught at the Arabian Equestrian Center in Kuwait, where she trained international riders.

Fischer has a bachelor's degree in communications, political science and education from John Carroll University.