Lexington, Kentucky --- Sydney Olympic gold medalist David O'Connor got off to a strong start on the opening day of competition of the 2001 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Presented by Bayer.

O'Connor, of the The Plains, VA, took the lead on the first of two days of dressage competition, the first phase of the three-day event that serves as the U.S. Equestrian Team (USET) Four Star Eventing Championship. With Giltedge, his Olympic team bronze medal mount, O'Connor received a low penalty score of 37.0. Owned by Jacqueline Mars, Giltedge is the 15-year-old Irish-bred gelding that carried O'Connor to team gold and individual silver medals at the 1999 Pan American Games as well as his 2000 Olympic team Bronze and 1996 Olympic team Silver medals.

In second position is Phillip Dutton of Australia, a member of the gold medal teams in both Atlanta and Sydney. Riding House Doctor, his 2000 Olympic partner, Dutton was given a penalty score of 39.6 by the panel of international judges.

1996 Olympian Mara Depuy of Round Hill, VA, is tied for third with New Zealand's Andrew Nicholson with a penalty score of 40.6 riding Lord Killinghurst. After winning CCI**** Burghley Three Day Event last fall in England, Nicholson is hoping for a win in the Grand Slam of Eventing, which offers $250,000 US to any rider to win Burghley, Rolex Kentucky and Burghley (in place of the cancelled 2001 CCI**** Badminton) consecutively.

Friday, the second half of competitors will take to the dressage ring, including British Olympic veteran, Ian Stark, five-time U.S. Olympian Bruce Davidson and O'Connor on his Olympic individual gold medal horse, Custom Made.

The Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, the only Olympic-level three-day event held in North America, will continue with cross-country on Saturday and the final phase of stadium jumping on Sunday.

Full results are available on the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day event website, www.rk3de.org.

Results Following Day 1 of Dressage
Rider / Home / Horse / Penalties
1. David O'Connor - The Plains, VA - Giltedge - 37.00
2. Phillip Dutton - AUS - House Doctor - 39.6
3. Andrew Nicholson - NZL - Lord Killinghurst - 40.6
4. Mara Depuy - Round Hill, VA - Here to Stay - 40.6
5. John Williams - Middleburg, VA - Carrick - 41.6