Sport Horse Nationals

Saturday, September 24, 2005
Virginia Horse Center
Lexington, VA

$10 day pass per person (includes all activities and clinics.)
Tickets may be purchased at grounds entrance.

Official Flyer- Celebration of Arabian Sport Horse
(PDF 3,251Kb)

The Arabian Sport Horse Nationals is setting new standards. It is the only national-level, breed-specific horse show completely dedicated to the art and athleticism of sport horse. What's more, it is being done by a breed in the past casually disregarded as a sport horse, but proving its worth by meeting or exceeding the standard set by more traditional sport breeds, such as warmbloods or Thoroughbreds.

Out of this excitement a concept was born, a day in which to celebrate both sport horse disciplines and the Arabian sport horse, attracting the attention of renowned clinicians, national equine publications and thousands of sport horse enthusiasts from across the country: Celebration of Arabian Sport Horse.

12:00 - 1:30   Hunter/Jumper Clinic, by David O'Connor
 1:30 - 2:00   Q & A/ Book Signing with David O'Connor
 2:00 - 3:30   "Developing gaits and suppleness through dressage" Clinic by Hilda Gurney
 3:30 - 4:00   Q & A/ autograph signing with Hilda Gurney
 4:00 - 5:00   Sport Horse National Show Competition
 6:30 - 8:30   Horse Illustrated Sport Horse Spectacular & Jumper Mini-Prix

David is perhaps best known for his most recent Olympic accomplishments bringing home the first Eventing Gold Medal or the United States in more than a quarter of a century - when he clinched the individual Eventing championship on Custom Made at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, with the best score in Olympic history.

David has competed internationally for the United States Equestrian Team since the late 1980's, earning 3 Olympic medals, one of every color, 2 Pan American Games Medals, and 2 World Championships. He's won Rolex twice as a three-star and once as a four-star. He's won Fair Hill International CCI*** five times, and in 1997, he became only the second American in history to win the coveted Badminton CCI****.

Even with his heavy competitive schedule, David has maintained strong involvement in the administrative side of the sport, and currently serves as president of the United States Equestrian Federation, the national governing body of equestrian sports. In 2003, David was awarded the prestigious Wofford Cup, which is given to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of Eventing in a non-riding capacity. David was the first rider ever to receive this award.

David O'Connor Profile
David O'Connor Family
David O'Connor Career Highlights

For most American dressage enthusiasts, when you talk about the legends, Hilda Gurney's name is always on the list.

Referred to as the "American dressage pioneer", Hilda follows David in the same fashion with an impressive resume as an Olympian, trainer and judge-even when the American sport of dressage was not so popular in the 1970's. From being the first American to medal in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal in 28 years ago, to more United States medals at the 1998 World Equestrian Games in Barcelona, Gurney's contribution to American dressage is undisputed

In addition, she has won the USET National Grand Prix Dressage Championships six times, been a Pan Am Games Gold Medalist in Dressage three times, and is a Senior rated USEF Dressage Judge, A Candidate rated FEI Dressage Judge and Approved USEF Dressage Sporthorse Breeding Judge.

Hilda Gurney Looks Back on 30 Years of Dressage

In the evening, education turns to entertainment with the Horse Illustrated Sport Horse Spectacular and Jumper Mini-Prix, offering a spectacular equi-tainment show by beautiful Arabian horses showcasing creative renditions of sport horse talents.

Put your seatbelt on with the always-popular, action packed Jumper Mini-Prix. Watch and cheer as horse/rider teams race to hurdle a course that increases in difficulty with each jump-off.

Don't miss this dramatic, theatre-style show, and be sure to get there early for the best seat in the house!



For more information, contact AHA at info@ArabianHorses.org or (303) 696-4500.