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.

Teddy's Fund: Donate to Memorial Fund in Memory of Theodore O'Connor

Teddy, originally uploaded by J. Walker Photography.

The US Equestrian Federation has announced that a memorial fund has been launched to commemorate the affection we all had for Theodore O'Connor, a.k.a. "Teddy", the super-athletic sport pony lost in a tragic accident last week.

Donations will be used to fund the construction of a new cross-country obstacle for the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in memory of Teddy.

If you would like to contribute to this memorial, please do so by visiting https://www.usef.org/_auaiframes/disasterrelief/teddy/teddy.aspx.

Teddy was euthanized last week at international event rider Karen O'Connor's training farm in Virginia after a tragic and freak accident.

According to USEF's report, the pony was spooked while walking to the arena for a morning workout.

“Teddy got frightened and bolted. He slipped running back to the barn and suffered a severe laceration to his hind leg, severing the tendons and ligaments,” said the O’Connors in a statement to the press. “Dr. A Kent Allen was on the scene immediately, and it was determined after examination that the injuries were catastrophic. Everyone who knew Teddy is devastated."

Teddy had recently been named to the "short list" to represent the USA at the 2008 Olympics in China. He wa the reigning Pan Am Games gold medalist in eventing.

Karen O'Connor's husband, Olympic gold medalist David O'Connor, is the president of USEF.

Thanks to Joshua Walker for allowing me to blog this photo.

Say It Isn't So: "Teddy", America's Favorite Sport Horse and Top Olympic Prospect, Has Died

There's a hush this afternoon. A hush throughout the horse world. It's an emptier, less interesting horse world from this moment.

I have just received word from Joanie Morris at the US Equestrian Federation that Karen O'Connor's darling of a sport pony, Theodore O'Connor, died today as a result of an accident at home in The Plains, Virginia.

"Teddy" was the USA's top hopeful for a gold medal in Hong Kong at this summer's Olympics. But more than that, he was a crowd favorite and brought interest to the sport of eventing at a time when most stories about the sport are dark and depressing.

The 13-year-old eventing super pony defied odds and gravity throughout his career. Standing only 14.1 hands, the Shetland/Arabian/Thoroughbred cross gelding was the reigning Team and Individual Gold Medalist from the 2007 Pan American Games and had top six finishes at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in 2007 and 2008. He was the 2007 USEF/Farnam Horse of the Year and recently had been named to the USEF Short List for Eventing for the 2008 Olympic Games.

Ridden by three-time Olympic veteran Karenhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif O’Connor, ‘Teddy’ made friends and picked up fans everywhere he went. Seeing was believing with Teddy as it seemed impossible to imagine that a pony of his size could do his job with such tremendous ease.

Thoughts and prayers are with Karen and David, Teddy’s groom Max Corcoran, all of his owners in the Theodore O’Connor Syndicate and everyone associated with this remarkable pony. And that's most of us.

To send thoughts to Teddy’s connections please email: Teddy@usef.org. The USEF will make sure your email gets to the intended recipients.

Just two weeks ago, Team O'Connor lost Tigger Too, another top international horse, when he fell on cross-country at an event in New Jersey.

Links to previous stories on THE JURGA REPORT about Teddy:

Teddy Wins Horse of the Year

Teddy Excels to Gold Medal Stature at 2007 Pan Am Games

Teddy's Precious Performance at 2007 Rolex

Teddy's Star-Status Popularity at 2007 Rolex

The Pony From Ipanema: Teddy Bound for Rio de Janeiro!