TIME Magazine Mourns O'Connorless Olympic Eventing Team...and the Loss of Theodore

Theodore O'Connor, ridden by Karen O'Connor at the 2007 and 2008 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event

There are three O'Connors whose names are missing from the roster of the 2008 US Eventing Team for the Olympics in Hong Kong. Multiple medalist David O'Connor has retired from competition, and his wife Karen is an asterisk to the team as a third alternate with her horse Mandiba. To head to Hong Kong without the O'Connors' experience and talent is a first. It has been decades since neither of them was on the team. Some people reading this blog have never seen an Olympics eventing competition that did not feature one, and usually both, of the O'Connors.

But it's the absence of the third O'Connor, Theodore, that made international news this week. "Teddy", aka the bionic pony and Pan Am Games gold medalist, was euthanized after a terrible accident at home in Virginia a month ago.

Among those pausing to remember him and to mourn the O'Connorless team is Sean Gregory, writing in this week's TIME Magazine. No, Teddy, didn't make the cover but I can't remember the last time that TIME dedicated an entire article to a sport or pleasure horse.

Click here to read TIME's tribute to Karen and Teddy and also to Max Corcoran, Teddy's groom and best pal. It's a classy read, and not what you'd expect to see in a newsmagazine full of Presidential election politics, Middle East crises, and economy coverage.

Just like Teddy: not what you'd expect, at all.

See you in Kentucky!

If it's the end of April, it's time to go to Kentucky. The sport-horse world is poised to descend on the Bluegrass. Thousands of Dansko-clogged, sunburned eventing fans and shoppers traditionally trudge the hills and vales of the Kentucky Horse Park, where the crowd is all part of the show at America's beloved 4-star Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event from April 26th to the 29th.

Count me among the Dansko-clod, although I think this year we may be switching over to Wellies and we may be wielding umbrellas instead of sun block. We've done that before! You may have to put those waterproof DuBarry boots to the test!

If you enjoy this blog, why not take a minute to stop by the Primedia booth at the trade show village and mention it to the staff? What are your suggestions to improve our service to you? (You can also click on "comments" at the end of this post and share your views with all readers.)

And if you enjoy this blog, you will love the demonstrations being held on Thursday afternoon at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. Stop by their booth and they will tell you about the buses that will take you from the Horse Park to the hospital (and back), which is close by.

Hagyard Equine Medical Institute will be hosting live seminars during the event, so stop by their booth to find out the schedule.

Enjoy the spectacle, and if you can't be there, I will have blog reports this weekend.