In this video break from the USEA Vault, originally provided in partnership with Eventing Training Online, David O’Connor coaches a group of riders through the ditch portion of a ditch and rail combination, providing essential tips on how to be successful with this difficult jump.
David O'Connor has represented the United States in the sport eventing at two Olympic Games, winning team silver at the 1996 Summer Olympics and individual gold and team bronze at the 2000 Summer Olympics, at the 1999 Pan American Games, where he earned individual silver and team gold, and at the 2002 World Equestrian Games, where he was on the gold medal-winning team. After his retirement from competition in 2004, he held top coaching roles for the U.S. and Canadian eventing teams and served as president of the USEF from 2004 to 2012. O'Connor was inducted in the USEA's Eventing Hall of Fame in 2009.
It's a big week for eventing in the U.S. with the MARS Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill taking place in Elkton, Maryland, starting with the first horse inspection on Wednesday. Can't make it to the event yourself this year? Not to worry! We've outlined all the ways that you can tune in from home.
Three years ago, Bucyrus, Kansas-based professional Julie Wolfert and her two good friends Renee Senter and Sheri Gurske, went to Ireland where they tried about 40 horses before they decided to go in together on the now 12-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding SSH Playboy (Cit Cat x Stomeyford Black Pearl).
Cross-country in the USEF/USEA Developing Horse Championships proved the age-old statement that "this is not a dressage show," as we saw the CCI3*YH-S whittled down, while the CCI2*YH-S had some shuffling in the top-10 standings.
Day 1 is a wrap at the 2024 USEF/USEA Developing Horse Championships at Morven Park International, and we saw a familiar face rise to the top in the CCI3*YH-S Championship, while the leading CCI2*YH-S competitor is making her international debut.