Rober Dover

Home: Wellington , FL
Born: June 7, 1956

Robert Dover has won more dressage honors than any other American competitor. He is a veteran of five Olympics (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000) winning team Bronze Medals in 1992, 1996 and 2000. He was also a World Championship team Bronze Medalist in 1994.

After a brief retirement in 2003, Dover was lured back into the Olympic spotlight, when long time owner Jane Clark purchased FBW Kennedy, who had recently competed on the Danish 2002 World Equestrian Team with Lorne Jorgenson. Clark also owns Ranier, Dover's 2000 Sydney Olympic mount.

In 1998 was a member of the World Equestrian Championship Team, riding Lennox where the team placed fourth in Rome , Italy .

Dover had the highest finish ever by an American (fourth) at the 1988 World Cup Final and he is a five-time USET Dressage Champion. In 1994 he was awarded the U.S. Olympic Committee's Male Equestrian Athlete of the Year award.

Dover had a string of 1994 achievements that included being awarded the USET's Whitney Stone Cup for his distinguished record in international competition. Riding Devereaux he had Grand Prix and Freestyle wins in the U.S. League Final for the Dressage World Cup. He finished fifth at the World Equestrian Games' Grand Prix Freestyle in Holland and helped the USET win a team Bronze Medal.

In 1992 he was the leading qualifier for the Olympic selection trial on Lectron, whom he'd been riding for just a few months. Dover played a key role in helping the USET win a team Bronze Medal that year at the Olympic Games in Barcelona . He also represented the United States in the 1990 World Equestrian Games.

In 1989 Dover led his teammates to the team Gold Medal at the North American Dressage Championship in Quebec , Canada , while capturing the individual Silver Medal. In 1988, he was the highest placed American rider at the Olympic Games in Seoul with Federleicht.

Dover spent 1987 competing in Europe with the horses Federleicht and Juvel. His many successes there included winning the Grand Prix Freestyle in Aachen , as well as wins in Rotterdam , Hannover , and Zuidlaren. He was also Leading Rider at Hannover and Brussels . He credits his success to the late Colonel Bengt Ljungquist, his trainer for many years. He also trained with Herbert Rehbein of Germany .

Horse: Ranier - Gray Oldenburg Gelding, 17.0 hands, 1991
FBW Kennedy – Chestnut Baden Wurttemberger gelding, Gelding, 1989
Owner: Jane F. Clark

Career Highlights