Cian O'Connor

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Cian O'Connor
Personal information
Full name	Cian O'Connor
Nationality	Ireland
Discipline	Show jumping
Born	(1979-11-12) 12 November 1979 (age 41) Dublin, Ireland
Height	5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight	163 lb (74 kg; 11 st 9 lb)
show Medal record Summer Olympic Games London 2012 Individual jumping Disqualified Athens 2004 Individual jumping European Championships 2017 Gothenburg Team jumping 2017 Gothenburg Individual jumping

Cian O'Connor is an Irish equestrian who competes in show jumping. He has competed at three Olympic Games, two World Championships and six European Championships, and has attained 128 senior caps for his country. He won an individual bronze medal at the London Olympic Games 2012 and was a member of the Irish team that took a gold medal at the European Championships in Gothenburg in 2017. O’Connor also won a bronze individual medal at the latter event. At the Tokyo Summer Olympics (which was held in 2021), Cian and his Irish-bred mount Kilkenny finished seventh overall in the individual class.

He was also a member of the Irish Teams that won Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse show in 2004, 2012 and 2015.

O’Connor was also a member of the winning Irish team at the European Show Jumping Championships in 2017, again after a 16-year absence from the podium by Ireland. He also took an individual bronze medal at these championships.

Aside from his own participation in the sport, O’Connor has also carved out a significant reputation as a coach to an outstanding crop of younger riders across Ireland, North America and beyond who continue to compete at the highest level of showjumping, both nationally and internationally.

O’Connor also specialises in producing younger horses to achieve top international standards and has a reputation for being able to identify horses with such potential, often early in their careers.

Personal life[]

O'Connor was born in Dublin to parents Tadhg O'Connor and Louise Mullen. His maternal grandfather is former Ireland international Grand Slam winning captain Dr. Karl Mullen who also led the British & Irish Lions tour to New Zealand and Australia in 1950. He is also godson to businessman Tony O'Reilly.^[1] Educated at Belvedere College SJ in Dublin, Cian has two sisters, Susanna and Pippa O'Connor, who is a successful model and business woman.^[2]

Cian O'Connor married Ruth Maybin on 31 December 2011 at Clongowes Wood College SJ, Clane, County Kildare. They live in County Meath, Ireland, and have two children, Ben and Cara.^[3] Cian O'Connor trains horses at his stables, Karlswood in Batterstown, County Meath, Ireland. He trains young and upcoming riders at the stables, where he also trades in all classes of showjumpers.

Jumping career[]

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.

2009[]

In December, O'Connor was invited to jump at Olympia, London, finishing, on Rancorrado, 2nd in the World Cup Qualifier, his highest placing in a Qualifier to date. The next night he won the Grand Prix, and this in turn secured him the Leading Rider of the Show.^{[citation needed]}

2010[]

CSI4* Basel, Switzerland: Grand Prix: 1st (Rancorrado)

CSI3* Lummen, Belgium: Grand Prix: 3rd (K Club Lady)

CSI3* Hagen, Germany: Grand Prix: 8th (K Club Lady)

CSI5* Global Champions Tour, Valencia, Spain: 1m50 class: 4th (K Club Lady) - €1,600 - just 1.65 seconds behind the winner.

CSIO5* Rome, Italy: Meydan FEI Nations Cup: 3rd on 12 faults: Cameron Hanley (Southwind VDL) - (8)/4; Darragh Kenny (Obelix) - 4/(8); Cian O'Connor (K Club Lady) - 4/0; Billy Twomey (Tinka's Serenade) - 0/4

CSIO5* St. Gallen, Switzerland: Grand Prix: 2nd (K Club Lady) - €60,000

Meydan FEI Nations Cup: 4th on 19 faults: Shane Breen (Carmena Z) 5/5; Darragh Kenny (Obelix) 5/(16); Cian O'Connor (K Club Lady) 9/4; Billy Twomey (Je T'aime Flamenco) (9)/0

CSI5* Global Champions Tour, Estoril, Portugal: Grand Prix: 8th (K Club Lady) - €6,000

CSIO5* World Equestrian Festival, Aachen, Germany: Meydan FEI Nations Cup: 1st on 4 faults: Billy Twomey ( Tinka's Serenade) 4/0; Dermott Lennon (Hallmark Elite) 0/0; Cian O'Connor (K Club Lady) 0/0; Denis Lynch (Lantinus) (4)/(NS)

Yageo Prize: 3rd (Splendor)

CSIO5* 'Failte Ireland' Dublin Horse Show, Dublin, Ireland: Meydan FEI Nations Cup: 2nd= on 20 faults: Billy Twomey (Tinka's Serenade) 0/4; Dermott Lennon (Hallmark Elite) (12)/(8); Cian O'Connor (K Club Lady) 8/0; Denis Lynch (Nabab's Son) 8/0 - leaving the team in 4th on the final standings.

'Land Rover' Puissance: 2nd= (Noctambule Courcelle) - clearing 2m10 - €9,850

CSIO5* Gijon, Spain: Grand Prix: 6th (K Club Lady) - €5,000

Meydan FEI Nations Cup: 5th= on 20 faults: Shane Breen (Carmena Z) (8)/0; Capt. David O'Brien (Mo Chroi) 0/(8); Cian O'Connor (Splendor) 8/0; Dermott Lennon (Hallmark Elite) 4/8

CSI5* Madrid, Spain: Grand Prix: 5th (K Club Lady) - €9,000

Puissance: 2nd (Noctambule Courcelle) - €6,000

The Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games, Jumping World Championships, Kentucky: Team: Dermott Lennon (Hallmark Elite); Denis Lynch (Lantinus); Cian O’Connor (K Club Lady); Billy Twomey (Tinka’s Serenade)

1st Round - Speed Competition: 12th on 2.88 faults; Team in 8th

2nd Round - First round of the Nations Cup: 16th on a total of 6.88 faults

K Club Lady picked up a knock during this round, and O'Connor withdrew from continuing the Championships as an individual.

CSI4* Caen, France: 1m50 jump-off class: 3rd (Splendor) - earning €3,750

CSI5*-W Verona, Italy: Grand Prix: 10th (Splendor) - earning €1,500.

CSI3* Stockholm, Sweden: Grand Prix: 5th (Splendor) - earning €2,500.

CSI5*-W Geneva, Switzerland: Rolex FEI World Cup qualifier: 11th (Splendor) - €3,000

Geneva Derby: 1st (Umberto)

'Credit Suisse' Team Competition - Switzerland vs Europe vs America vs Rest of the World: 1st - Europe II (Larkhill Cruiser) - €3,000

Puissance: =3rd: (Asturias) - €1,500

CSI5*-W London Olympia, United Kingdom: Santa Stakes - 1m60 jump-off class: 1st (Splendor) - €6,480

2011[]

CSI3*-W Dubai Championships, UAE: FEI World Cup Qualifier: 5th (Larkhill Cruiser) - €3,100

'Gulf News' Dubai Cup (Qualifier for the Grand Prix): 1st (Larkhill Cruiser) - €6,700

Accumulator: 1st (Arabella) - €4,200

O'Connor also earned the 'Leading Rider of the Show' award - €2,100

CSI3*-W Abu Dhabi, UAE: FEI World Cup Qualifier: 6th (Larkhill Cruiser) - €2,500

1m45 Two-Phase Competition: 3rd (Arabella) - €2,600

1m45 Jump-off: 4th (Arabella) - €2,900

1m40 Grand Prix Qualifier: 3rd (Larkhill Cruiser) - €3,200

CSI2*-W Sharjah, UAE: FEI World Cup Qualifier: 3rd (Larkhill Cruiser)

CSI4*-W Al Ain, UAE: FEI World Cup qualifier: 2nd (Larkhill Cruiser) - €11,800

Grand Prix qualifier: 3rd (Larkhill Cruiser) - €5,200

O'Connor also earned the 'Leading Rider of the Show' award

He and Larkhill Cruiser also secured the Leading Horse and Leading Rider Awards of the UAE World Cup Qualifying Tour.

CSI3* Vejer de la Frontera, Spain: Grand Prix (week 2): 3rd (Larkhill Cruiser) - €6,000

Grand Prix (week 3): 2nd (Larkhill Cruiser) - €4,500

Grand Prix (week 4): 3rd (Splendor) - €3,500

Grand Prix (week 5): 5th (Larkhill Cruiser) - €1,800

1m45 two-phase (week 2): 1st (Larkhill Cruiser) - €6,900

1m45 (week 3): 1st (Larkhill Cruiser) - €6,900

CSIO5* La Baule, France: FEI Nations Cup: 1st on 13 faults: Shane Sweetnam (Amaretto Darco) 1/4; Billy Twomey (Romanov) 4/4; Cian O'Connor (Larkhill Cruiser) (4)/0; Cameron Hanley (Southwind VDL) 0/(17) - Team earned €64,000

CSI3* Pforzheim, Germany: Grand Prix: 2nd (Temple Road) - €13,000

CSIO5* Rome, Italy: Puissance: 2nd (On Ira) - €4,000

1m50 jump-off: 4th (Temple Road) - €1,995

1m50 jump-off: 5th (Splendor) - €1,610

CSIO5* 'Discover Ireland' RDS Dublin Horse Show, Ireland: 'Power and Speed': 5th (Splendor) - €1,750

'Land Rover' Puissance: =2nd (On Ira) - €3,766

CSIO5* Gijon, Spain: Grand Prix: 8th (Splendor) - €3,000

1m50 jump-off: 2nd (Carpe Diem) - €8,500

CSIO5* Barcelona, Spain: 'Seat' Grand Prix: 5th (Carpe Diem) - €9,000

CSI3* Horse of the Year Show, Birmingham, UK: 'Vinopolis' Speed Horse of the Year: 3rd (Goldex) - €3,600

CSI5*-W Helsinki, Finland: 1m50 'Porsche International Classic': 5th (Carpe Diem) - €2,500

1m40 'Power and Speed': 7th (Goldex) - €1,000

CSI4* Salzburg, Austria: 1m50 against the clock: 7th (O'Connell Street) - €1,300

CSI4* Porto, Portugal: 1m45 jump-off: 5th (Blue Loyd) - €1,667

2012[]

Week 1 WEF Wellington, Florida: $30,000 'Surpass' Grand Prix: 3rd (Blue Loyd) - $3,900 (€3,079)

$25,000 'Suncast' 1m50 Championship: 4th (Everything) - $2,000 (€1,579)

Week 2 WEF CSI2* Wellington, Florida: $32,000 WEF Challenge II: 3rd (Blue Loyd) - $4,800 (€3,710)

$50,000 Grand Prix: 7th (Everything) - $1,500 (€1,160)

Week 3 WEF CSI2* Wellington, Florida: $50,000 'Horseware Ireland' Grand Prix: 4th (Blue Loyd) - $5,000 (€3,795)

$25,000 'Suncast' 1m50 Championship: 5th (Everything) - $1,500 (€1,138)

Week 4 WEF CSI2* Wellington, Florida: $80,000 Grand Prix: 6th (Blue Loyd) - $3,600 (€2,718)

$25,000 'Suncast' 1m50 Championship: 5th (KEC Alligator Alley) - $1,500 (€1,132)

Week 5 WEF CSI3*-W Wellington, Florida: $32,000 Suncast 1m50 Championship: 2nd (Everything) - $6,400 (€4,834); 4th (KEC Alligator Alley) - $3,200 (€2,417)

Week 8 WEF CSIO4* Wellington, Florida: $75,000 Nations Cup: 2nd (Shane Sweetnam / Amaretto d'Arco [0/4]; Richie Moloney / Slievenorra [4/0]; Darragh Kerins / Lisona [4/4]; Cian O'Connor / Blue Loyd [0/0])

$32,000 1m45: 3rd (KEC Alligator Alley) - $4,800 (€4,365)

Week 10 WEF CSI3* Wellington, Florida: $80,000 Grand Prix: 2nd (KEC Alligator Alley) - $16,000 (€12,116)

Week 11 WEF Wellington, Florida: $25,000 Suncast 1m50: 3rd (KEC Alligator Alley) - $3,250 (€2,451)

Week 12 WEF Wellington, Florida: $500,000 Grand Prix: 7th (Blue Loyd) - $15,000 (€11,258)

$32,000 Suncast 1m50: 6th (KEC Alligator Alley) - $1,440 (€1,080)

CSIO5* La Baule, France: FEI Nations Cup: Ireland =5th (Blue Loyd)

1m45-1m50: 4th (Da Vinci's Pride) - €2,300

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.^[4]

Major results[]

• 2012
  • 2nd, Grand Prix - CSI3* Wellington, Florida (KEC Alligator Alley)
  • 2nd, FEI Nations Cup - CSIO4* Wellington, Florida (Blue Loyd)
• 2011
  • 2nd, Grand Prix - CSI3* Pforzheim, Germany (Temple Road)
  • 1st, FEI Nations Cup - CSIO5* La Baule, France (Larkhill Cruiser)
  • 3rd, Grand Prix - CSI3*, Week 4 Vejer de la Frontera, Spain (Splendor)
  • 2nd, Grand Prix - CSI3*, Week 3 Vejer de la Frontera, Spain (Larkhill Cruiser)
  • 3rd, Grand Prix - CSI3*, Week 2 Vejer de la Frontera, Spain (Larkhill Cruiser)
  • 2nd, FEI World Cup Qualifier - CSI4*-W, Al Ain, UAE (Larkhill Cruiser) - Also Leading Rider of the Show
  • 3rd, FEI World Cup Qualifier - CSI2*-W, Sharjah, UAE (Larkhill Cruiser)
• 2010
  • Meydan FEI Nations Cup of Aachen, Germany, (K Club Lady)
  • 2nd, Grand Prix - CSIO5*, St. Gallen, Switzerland, (K Club Lady)
  • Grand Prix - Basel CSI4*, Basel, Switzerland, (Rancorrado)
• 2009
  • Grand Prix - Olympia CSI5*-W, London, United Kingdom, (Rancorrado) - Also Leading Rider of the Show
  • 2nd, Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier - Olympia CSI5*-W, London, United Kingdom, (Rancorrado) - Also Leading Rider of the Show
  • FEI World Cup Qualifier - CSI3*-W Tripoli, Libya, (Irish Independent Echo Beach)
  • 3rd, Rolex FEI World Cup Qualifier - Leipzig CSI5*-W, Germany, (Rancorrado)
• 2008
  • 2nd, Grand Prix - CSI5*-W Geneva, Switzerland, (Complete)
  • Grand Prix - CSI4* Chantilly, France, (Rancorrado)
• 2007
  • Nations Cup - CSIO5* Lummen, Belgium, (Irish Independent Echo Beach)
  • Nations Cup - CSIO4* Poznan, Poland, (Complete)
• 2005
  • 2nd, Grand Prix - CSI3* Frankfurt, Germany, (Waterford Crystal)

See also[]

• Ireland at the 2004 Summer Olympics
• Ireland at the 2012 Summer Olympics
• Equestrian at the 2004 Summer Olympics
• Equestrian at the 2012 Summer Olympics
• List of Irish sports people

References[]

External links[]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cian O’Connor.

• Official website at the Wayback Machine (archived 23 May 2001)
• Cian O'Connor (and here) at FEI
• Cian O'Connor at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)