Cian O'Connor

Last updated
Cian O'Connor
Personal information
NationalityFlag of Ireland.svg  Ireland
Discipline Show jumping
Born (1979-11-12) 12 November 1979 (age 44)
Dublin, Ireland
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight163 lb (74 kg; 11 st 9 lb)
Website
https://www.cianoconnor.com
Medal record
Summer Olympic Games
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg London 2012 Individual jumping
European Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2017 Gothenburg Team jumping
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 2017 Gothenburg Individual jumping

Cian O'Connor (born 12 November 1979) is an Irish equestrian who competes in show jumping. He has competed at three Olympic Games, four World Championships and six European Championships. O'Connor was stripped of the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics when his horse was found to have a banned substance in its system.

Contents

O'Connor returned to the Olympics in 2012, receiving the bronze medal in the individual showjumping event. At the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics, O'Connor finished seventh. [1]

Cian was a member of the Irish Teams that won the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse show in 2004, 2012, 2015 and 2022. [2]

O’Connor was also a member of the winning Irish team at the European Show Jumping Championships in 2017, where he placed third in the individual competition. [3]

As part of the Irish World Championships team in Herning 2022, O'Connor qualified for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.

Major results

YearPlaceHorseEventRatingShowLocation
20221stKilkennyGrand PrixCSI3*Sunshine Tour Montenmedio Vejer de la Frontera, Spain
20221stKilkennySenior Nations CupCSIO5* RDS Arena Dublin, Ireland [4]
20224thC Vier 2World Equestrian Championships Team FinalCSIO5*Herning Rideklub Herning, Denmark [4]
20221stTaj MahalGrand PrixCSI3*Knokke Hippique Knokke, Belgium [4]
20213rdKilkennyGrand PrixCSI5* Wellington Equestrian Festival Wellington, USA [4]
20214thKilkennyGrand PrixCSI4*Tops International Arena Valkenswaard, The Netherlands [4]
20217thKilkennyOlympic Games Tokyo Individual FinalOlympic GamesSummer Olympic Games Tokyo Tokyo, Japan [4]
20192ndPSG FinalSenior Nations CupCSIO5* Piazza Di Sienna Rome, Italy [4]
20191stPSG FinalSenior Nations Cup FinalCSIO5* Real Club De Polo Barcelona, Spain [4]
20191stPSG FinalGrand PrixCSI4*X-Bionic Sphere Samorin, Slovakia [4]
20193rdPSG FinalGlobal Champions League FinalCSI5* O2 Arena PraguePlayoffs Prague, Czech Republic [4]
2018Bronze MedalGood LuckWorld Equestrian Championships Team FinalCSI5*Tryon Equestrian Centre Tryon, USA [4]
20171stGood LuckGrand PrixCSIO5*Hipodrom Sopot Sopot, Poland [4]
2017Gold MedalGood LuckEuropean Championship Team FinalEUCH Gothenburg Horse Show Gothenburg, Sweden [4]
2017Bronze MedalGood LuckEuropean Championship Individual FinalEUCHGothenburg Horse ShowGothenburg, Sweden [4]
20161stGood LuckSenior Nations CupCSIO5*RDS ArenaDublin, Ireland [4]
20164thGood LuckGrand PrixCSIO5*RDS ArenaDublin, Ireland [4]
20165thGood LuckGrand PrixCSIO5*Los Angeles Horse Show Los Angeles, USA [4]
20163rdGood LuckWorld CupCSI5* WCStuttgart German Masters Stuttgart, Germany [4]
20133rdBlue Lloyd 12Senior Nations CupCSIO5*RDS ArenaDublin, Ireland [4]
20131stBlue Lloyd 12Grand PrixCSIO5*RDS ArenaDublin, Ireland [4]
20122ndBlue Lloyd 12Senior Nations CupCSIO4*Hubside Jumping Valence Valence, France [4]
2012Bronze MedalBlue Lloyd 12Olympic Games London Individual FinalOlympic GamesSummer Olympic Games London London, United Kingdom [4]
20123rdBlue Lloyd 12Grand PrixCSIO5*RDS ArenaDublin, Ireland [4]
20121stBlue Lloyd 12Senior Nations CupCSIO5*RDS ArenaDublin, Ireland [4]
20112ndLarkhill CruiserWorld CupCSIO4* WCAl Ain Equestrian Centre Abu Dhabi, UAE [4]
20111stLarkhill CruiserSenior Nations CupCSIO5*La Baule Horse Show La Baule, France [4]
20101stRancorradoGrand PrixCSI4*Longines CHI Classics Basel Basel, Switzerland [4]
20103rdK Club LadySenior Nations CupCSIO5*Piazza Di SiennaRome, Italy [4]
20102ndK Club LadyGrand PrixCSIO5*CSIO St Gallen St Gallen, Switzerland [4]
20102ndK Club LadySenior Nations CupCSIO5*RDS ArenaDublin, Ireland [4]
20093rdRancorradoWorld CupCSI5* WCPartner Pferd Leipzig Leipzig, Germany [4]
20093rdRancorradoSenior Nations CupCSIO5*All English Show Grounds Hickstead Hickstead, United Kingdom [4]
20092ndRancorradoWorld CupCSI5* WCOlympia London Horse ShowLondon, United Kingdom [4]
20091stRancorradoGrand PrixCSI5* WCOlympia London Horse ShowLondon, United Kingdom [4]
20081stRancorradoGrand PrixCSI4*Chateau De Chantilly Chantilly, France [4]
20084thRancorradoGrand PrixCSIO5*Real Club De Polo BarcelonaBarcelona, Spain [4]

2004 Summer Olympics

Riding his horse, Waterford Crystal, O'Connor finished as winner of the jumping competition, and his gold medal made him the only Irish medalist that year. However, on 8 October 2004, it emerged that Waterford Crystal had tested positive for a prohibited substance. The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) ruled that O'Connor must be stripped of his medal and he also received a three-month ban from competition. FEI found that he did not deliberately attempt to affect the performance of the horse. The individual showjumping gold medal went to Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa and the Irish team's seventh place was inherited by the Italians. [5]


2020 Summer Olympics

Placed seventh Individual in Tokyo 2020 Olympics (celebrated in 2021) with his horse Kilkenny. [6]

2012 Summer Olympics

Won the bronze medal in London with his horse Blue Loyd 12 in individual jumping. He lost to Gerco Schröder of the Netherlands in a Silver medal jump-off. [7] 2004 Summer Olympics

Riding his horse, Waterford Crystal, he became an instant national hero, being the only Irish medalist that year. However, on 8 October 2004, it emerged that Waterford Crystal had tested positive for a prohibited substance. The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) ruled that O'Connor must be stripped of his medal and he also received a three-month ban from competition. FEI found that he did not deliberately attempt to affect the performance of the horse. The individual showjumping gold medal went to Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa and the Irish team's seventh place was inherited by the Italians. [8]

Horses

Kilkenny

(01/05/2012) Gelding, Grey. Irish Sport Horse (Cardento 933 x Guidam)

Taj Mahal [9]

(11/05/2013) Stallion, Bay. Zangersheide (Emerald Van'T Ruytershof x Quannan R)

C Vier 2 [10]

(22/05/2008) Gelding, Bay. Holsteiner (Cardento 933 x Concorde)

Good Luck [11]

(15/05/2006) Stallion, Bay. Belgian Warmblood (Canturo x Furioso II)

Blue Lloyd 12 [12] (11/02/2000) Gelding, Bay. Oldenburger (Landor S x Hadj A X)

Splendor [13]

(31/05/1999) Gelding, Chestnut. Dutch Warmblood (Lester x Marinier)

K Club Lady [14]

(08/03/1999) Mare, Bay. Holsteiner (Calido x Landgraf I)

Arabella [15]

(05/05/2003) Mare, Bay. Irish Sport Horse (Heartbreaker x Cavalier Royale)

Larkhill Cruiser

(20/03/2001) Gelding, Chestnut. Irish Sport Horse (Cruising x Crosstown Dancer)

Rancorrado [16]

(06/04/1998) Gelding, Bay. Dutch Warmblood (Gran Corrado x Hamlet). Horse


Echo Beach [16]

(23/05/2007) Stallion, Bay. Anglo European (Unbelievable Darco x Goodtimes)

Waterford Crystal [16]

(06/03/1991) Gelding, Bay. Holsteiner (Landgraf I x Corvado)

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References

  1. "Cian O'Connor". Olympic Games.
  2. "Aga Khan Trophy Winners" (PDF).
  3. "European Bronze Medal".
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 "Cian O'Connor FEI results".
  5. "Cian O'Connor Athens 2020 Olympics". The Irish Times .
  6. "The Irish Field, Olympic Games". The Irish Times .
  7. Live Olympics coverage, NBC.
  8. "Cian O'Connor Athens 2020 Olympics". The Irish Times .
  9. "Taj Mahal".
  10. "C Vier 2".
  11. "Good Luck".
  12. "Blue Lloyd 12".
  13. "Splendor".
  14. "K Club Lady".
  15. "Arabella".
  16. 1 2 3 "Equestrian Performance".