Current Profile || Accomplishments || Family || Career Highlights

The 2009 eventing season is fully underway with expectations of 2010 foremost on everyone’s mind. It is an “off” year, with no major championships (World Equestrian Games, Pan American Games, Olympic Games) Therefore, we have the ability to analyze, evaluate and direct our goals. Of course, the ultimate goal is the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, KY in 2010. Theodore O’Connor will not be there. However, Teddy will be on course in a memorial tribute to this bigger than life pony. We miss all of the courageous champions who have met the challenges of the great four star courses - Rolex KY, Badminton, Burghley.

As we look to the past, we are so very saddened by the loss of Vita Thompson. Vita and Dick have been, and always will be, the epitome of the perfect owners of horses. I need only mention Biko, our gentle giant, who earned silver at the Atlanta Olympics and was the leading “Event Horse of the Century.” In addition to Biko were such stars as Castlewellan, winner of the great three star event, Chesterland, and Nos Ecus, winner of the first Fair Hill three star event, Mr. Maxwell, winner of Rolex and USCTA’S “Horse of the Year” Joker’s Wild, the silver

medalist at the 2003 Pan American Games, and Upstage, the little but mighty horse who competed at Rolex six consecutive years and was always in the top placings. All those wonderful memories... and now the future of the Thompson horses. Dick recently purchased a handsome New Zealand thoroughbred and we are very excited about his future. That’s Smart is moving up to advanced this year with hopes of finishing the season with a CCI *** - perhaps Fair Hill.

Jacqueline Mars has been an incredible owner of O’Connor horses. She also gives her great strength and expertise to the O’Connor Event Team. At the Atlanta Olympics, David rode Jacquie’s horse, Giltedge and it was the first time in the summer Olympics that a husband and wife stood on the podium together to receive Olympic silver. Giltedge has earned more Olympic, WEG, and Pan AM medals than any other horse. Prince Panache, an elegant 17 hand Irish TB and Giltedge were team mates at the Sydney Olympics and won the Bronze. “Nash” also was the winner of Rolex four star in 1999. 2001 was an amazing year for Jacquie. Her horses won all of the

major US Championships - Giltedge won Rolex, Prince Panache won Foxhall and The Native won Fair Hill. Hugh Knows, a true event athlete, is recovering from an injury and will soon be back to compete with the best. He has the quality of greatness and we look forward to his future. Jacquie maintains an active breeding program to support the American Sport Horse. Rocket, a ten year old TB cross, sired by Galoubet out of Pleasure to a T, is on his way to a very promising career. I have just started my partnership with him. He has probably the scopyist jump I have felt on an event horse and has the movement in dressage to match.

Mandiba is a young Irish TB and has the great experience of the Hong Kong Olympics. His international career is just beginning and he is looking forward to a great season this summer and autumn. His owner, Joan Goswell, purchased Mandiba

from Sarah and William Micklem in Ireland. William has been a close friend and was my coach in the early seventies. William is responsible for great horses coming into our lives - Biko, Giltedge, Custom Made, Prince Panache, Joker’s Wild and now Mandiba. Joan has always been a wonderful owner, supporter and friend. She also owned another winner of Rolex, Worth the Trust. She may very well repeat that accomplishment with Mandiba. What a journey for Joan with this talented horse!

John and Dianne Pingree have a new youngster. Bally Mar, the fabulous chestnut mare who competed successfully at Rolex and was the leading mare at Rolex and USEA, has a four year old sired by Welton Double Cracker. Bally’s Cracker (Triscuit) has the

lineage of stars including Bally Cor of Pan Am Gold in 1975 and the Montreal Olympic Gold in 1976 with Tad Coffin. She is eager to learn and is very talented. It will be a joy for John and Dianne to watch Triscuit’s journey to fame. I will be eternally grateful to The Pingrees for sending Max Corcoran to Virginia with Bally Mar. Max has been my right hand and right boot and a true friend and colleague.

Rebecca Broussard has recently purchased a lovely paint mare, Agent 99, who was 2nd at the Training Championships, has all the talent and scope needed to be a solid and successful event horse. Allstar has had time off and is now in competition and ready to continue his very successful 2008 season. Becky, who owns Rebecca Farm in Montana, will host the OCET camp June 16-21. She is an amazing and dedicated person, and a great supporter of eventing and a very good friend.

Tracey and Bob Hewlett of Holly Hill Farm in Louisiana recently purchased an amazing horse off the track, and he has taken to his new career with great gusto. He is a lovely mover and has the athletic jump of the great ones. WHat fun to watch One Step Closer get closer to the big time. THe Hewletts are wonderful horse people, and owned the fabulous horse Ocotillo, who was purchased by Dr. Bobby out of an auction barn. He went on to partnerships with David, Heidi

Hewlett and Cathy Weischoff, who competed him at Rolex.

We have an OCET Sport Horse Breeding program and many thanks go to Abigail Gille who has done outstanding work overseeing the responsibility of such a labor of love. We now have three youngsters, all gray - 4, 5, 6 year olds. Double Take is just beginning and is full of himself. Take Two is now owned by Chuck Akre of Virginia. Chuck also was part of the Theodore O’Connor Syndicate. Take Two is now at training level and has a number of wins to her record. Take the Mick, owned by Lauren Kieffer of OCET, is an amazing jumper and is now competing Preliminary.

We have three chestnut mares, all four year olds, who are just starting their careers. Landmark’s Miss Liberty, Sunday Storm and Cinco de Mayo are owned and bred by Jacqueline Mars and are part of the Landmark Young Horse Program. This operation is in the expert hands of Sue Clarke in Virginia. She

is the manager of Stonehall Farm and is a very vital part of the OCET. The young horses stay under Sue’s tutelage until they are ready to be backed as three year olds, at which point they come under the umbrella of the OCET. I oversee their education with the help of David, Hannah Burnett, Lauren Kieffer and Jessica May.

David has taken on the training and riding of Crackerjack, a six year old bay Landmark horse by Aberjack out of Brisque Benz. Cracker is very impressive and under David’s expertise, should have a remarkable career. He has been 1st or 2nd in all of his competitions.

The great horses are our pride and joy! The horses that do not reach our international expectations are, in their own right, wonderful athletes who go on to their jobs and add their strength to someone’s life. Our partnership with these magnificent horses takes us to new levels of communication and it truly is a thrill to ride on their wings.