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01/01/15 - Karen O'Connor - Cross Country Parts 4 and 5banks, water, double banks, rider position |
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Karen O'Connor - 12/19/14 - Cross Country Parts 1,2 and 3cross country, galloping position, warm up fences, coffins, balance |
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Karen O'Connor - 8/21/14 - Rideability For Jumping - Prelimrideability, turn to the fence, quality of canter, rider position, skinny, corner |
KAREN O'CONNOR - 01/01/15 - CROSS COUNTRY PARTS 4 AND 5 - The total running time of the last two parts of this five part video is 23:45. Karen O’Connor finishes this cross country clinic with the banks and water.
Karen O'Connor - USA
Karen O'Connor is one of the United States most decorated riders. In 1995, O'Connor's horse Biko was named The Chronicle of the Horse's Eventing Horse of the Year, and in 1996, O'Connor was named the journal's Eventing Horseman of the Year, in combination Read Full Bio
Karen O'Connor began competing internationally in the late 1970s, and in 1986 started riding with the US national eventing team, beginning with the Australian Gawler World Championships, mounted on Lutin V. She won multiple CCI3* events, including the Rolex Kentucky Three Day and the Fair Hill International, and the CCI4* at the 1999 Rolex event, riding Prince Panache.[8] During the 1990s, O'Connor and her horse Biko were mainstays of the US eventing team, riding to multiple top-ten finishes at major international events, including the Badminton Horse Trials and the Rolex Kentucky Three Day.[9] O'Connor rode at the 1994 World Equestrian Games and the 1998 World Equestrian Games, helping the US team to a bronze medal at the latter. At the 2006 World Equestrian Games she rode Upstage as an individual, but did not compete in the team portion of the event.[8]
O'Connor has competed in five Olympic Games, representing the US team at all five and also riding as an individual at three. At the 1996 Summer Olympics, riding Biko, she and the US team rode to a silver medal. At the 2000 Summer Olympics, riding Prince Panache, O'Connor and the US team again took a medal, this time bronze. In the 2008 Summer Games, riding Mandiba, she placed 44th individually, while the US team took 7th.[10] Four years later, at the 2012 Summer Games, the US team repeated their placing, while O'Connor improved to 9th, riding Mr. Medicott.[10] Her 9th place finish was the highest rank achieved by a US equestrian at the 2012 Games.[8]
At the 2003 Pan American Games, O'Connor took an individual silver medal, riding Joker's Wild.[8] During the 2000s, O'Connor and her 14.1 hands (57 inches, 145 cm) sport pony Theodore O'Connor, nicknamed Teddy, gathered a large following as he competed and won against much larger horses. The pair finished third at the 2007 Rolex Kentucky Three Day and sixth at the same event in 2008. At the 2007 Pan American Games, O'Connor, riding Teddy, won individual gold and assisted the US squad to a team gold.
When not competing, O'Connor serves as a member of the USEF's Board of Directors and as an active member of the United States Eventing Association's (USEA) Instructor Certification Program.[8]