Win a Chance to Ride at the O’Connor Equestrian Camp -- and other goodies!

Want to ride with Olympic three-day eventers David and Karen O’Connor? Kentucky Equine Research (KER) is proud to offer one winner a rider’s slot at the 2011 O’Connor Equestrian Camp, to be held at the Virginia Horse Center June 26-July 1.


In addition to the grand prize winner, second- and third-place winners will be drawn. The second-place winner will receive $250 in KER nutritional supplements, and the third-place winner will receive $150 in products. All winners will get an additional prize package that includes a nutrition consultation for one horse, an embroidered saddle pad, and a hat.

To enter the contest, just sign up for KER’s award-winning free weekly newsletters, The Weekly Feed and Equine Health Review. Already a subscriber? Just select the newsletter you already receive. Enter the contest at www.ker.com/oconnorcontest.

The winners will be selected June 15, 2011, and will be notified by e-mail. See official contest rules and frequently asked questions at www.ker.com/oconnorcontest.


David and Karen O’Connor have long been associated with KER, an international equine nutrition, research, and consultation company that serves both the horse owner and the feed industry. Its goal is to advance the industry’s knowledge of equine nutrition and exercise physiology, and apply this knowledge to produce healthier, more athletic horses.

Learn more about KER at www.ker.com.

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David O'Connor Recommended by Eventing Eligible Athlete Committee and Eventing High Performance Committee to be the Next US Eventing Chef d'Equipe/Techincal Advisor

From the USEF Communications Department
Lexington, KY - The Eventing Eligible Athlete Committee and Eventing High Performance Committee have unanimously recommended David O'Connor to be the Eventing Chef d'Equipe/ Technical Advisor to succeed Capt. Mark Phillips in 2013. The recommendation will go to the USEF High Performance Working Group before being presented to the USEF Executive Committee.

The search for Capt. Phillips replacement began in 2010. Nine applications were received by the Search Committee. The Committee shortlisted two applicants: O'Connor and Leslie Law.  

The USEF hosted an Open Rider Forum at the Red Hills Horse Trials on March 13 where both O'Connor and Law made presentations and answered questions from the floor. The Search Committee then confirmed their recommendation of both O'Connor and Law to the Eventing Eligible Athlete Committee and the Eventing High Performance Committee.  

After the forum at Red Hills, the Eventing Eligible Athlete Committee met three additional times to review all eligible applicants and decided to conduct another round of interviews. They met with the two shortlisted candidates (O'Connor and Law) again at the Fork Horse Trials on April 7 and held a telephone interview with British-based Australian Andrew Hoy.

The depth of quality of the applicant field was impressive - it included some of the biggest legends in the sport and after extensive research, thorough discussions and candid interviews the Eventing Eligible Athlete Committee unanimously voted to recommend O'Connor. On April 15, the Eventing High Performance Committee voted to unanimously to endorse this recommendation. The High Performance Working Group and the Executive Committee will meet to review this recommendation.

O'Connor has extensive knowledge of the sport in the U.S. and across the globe. He was the Individual Eventing Gold Medalist at the Sydney Olympic Games and he coached the Canadian Eventing Team to Team Silver at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games. O'Connor has proven leadership skills having served as the President of the USEF and the Chairman of FEI Group IV since his retirement from International competition in 2004. On the field of play he is renowned for producing top results from both horses and riders.

Identifying a Chef D'Equipe/Technical Advisor now will allow for a smooth transition for the riders and the eventing program when Mark Phillips retires in 2012.  Phillips has successfully led the program since 1994, having won medals at four Pan American Games, four World Equestrian Games and four Olympic Games.

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