About Coventry Farms

Coventry Farms has been offering quality English riding instructions, horse showing, and equine sales for all ages and levels of riders since 1975. Conveniently located off of Capital Circle NE inside Tallahassee city limits, Coventry is a friendly, family-owned farm emphasizing safety, care, and a strong foundation in hunt-seat jumping and equitation. This is a show barn with the skill and experience to take riders from beginner lead-line classes all the way up to the A's, as far as anyone wants to go.

Locally owned and operated by trainer Alice Buford, who began formal riding lessons at the age of 7. She has trained with top trainers in the Southeast. She grew up at horse shows where she learned to braid and groom to help support her passion. At 15, she was given a job at a famous pony breeding farm in Virginia where she was taught to break and train young ponies. Weekends were spent showing her pony that she was campaigning, showing ponies from the farm she worked at, as well as catch riding for others. Alice attended FSU, graduating in 1985 with her BS degree in Business. Before finishing college, she began her teaching career. In the late 1990's she returned to FSU to pursue her Master's Degree in Social Work.

Alice’s two daughters (Jessica and Casey) both grown now, grew up showing and competing. Casey still lives in Tallahassee and teaches and rides at the farm while earning her PHD at FSU. Alice’s son Matthew, now 5 years old, can be found showing in the walk trot division at many of the local horse shows.

Coventry Farms puts on approximately 6-8 shows every year that are sanctioned by the Southern Hunters and Jumpers Association (SHJA). One of these events is the Annual Luau Horse Show, a popular charity show held to benefit the Caring Tree Program of Big Bend Hospice. The Caring Tree is a unique area of service offering grief support and counseling to children and teens who have lost loved ones. They are funded solely through donations such as those garnered by Coventry's Luau Show ($16,000 in 2010). Coventry has partnered with other farms and businesses over the past 7 years to offer this opportunity for the equine community to give back.

Coventry Farms horse shows are long-established, traditional, and well attended. In addition to the prizes riders win at each show, there is also a year-long Coventry "circuit" where points are accrued by horse and rider in each division. Prizes are awarded to each high-point winner at the end of the circuit year. All of these things combine to make Coventry Farms a popular local show venue for the north Florida/south Georgia area!!