EVENTING DAILY
Robert Dover Hosts Panel Discussion on Everything Eventing During Tuesday Evening's Dover's World Radio Show
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Posted by Phelps Media Group
Karen was a Team Silver Medalist at the Atlanta Olympics and a Bronze Medalist at the Sydney Olympics. She's represented the United States countless times included at the 2007 Pan American Games ,where she was awarded the silver medal with Joker's Wild, and won both Individual and Team Gold in 2007 aboard Theodore O'Connor. David brought home the first eventing Gold Medal for 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. Alongside Karen, he and Giltedge helped the USET capture the Team Bronze Medal in Sydney, and the Team Silver in Atlanta. David also earned two Pan American Games Medals, and two World Championships. As USEF President, David was awarded the 2003 Wofford Cup and the 2007 Equine Industry Vision Award. Together, the O'Conners have represented the United States in international competition more times than you can count. Separately, Karen and David O'Connor each have amazing natural talent and an uncanny understanding of the horse; they lead a formidable team of riders, horses and owners that has become the backbone of American eventing.
Chiacchia is known for helping the U.S. Equestrian Team win an Olympic bronze medal in 2004. He was then preparing for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 when his horse fell over a jump breaking several bones, causing brain injuries and putting the forty-five year old in a coma. Chiacchia has since recovered from his fall and will contribute his experience to the evening's discussion.
Phillip Dutton is the final member of the night's panel, who has represented both his native country of Australia and the United States at the Olympic level. Since his move to the U.S., Phillip represented Australia in three Olympics and four World Championships. In 2006, Dutton became an American citizen and changed his competitive nationality so that he would be eligible to represent his adoptive home. Dutton first represented the United States at Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro in July, 2007 where he was a member of the Gold Medal winning team and Individual Silver Medalist. Dutton made his debut on the United States Olympic Three Day Team at the Bejiing Olympics in Hong Kong in 2008.
"I think it will be an amazing conversation about the direction the sport is heading in, along with the coaching, course designing - and more importantly safety," commented Dover. "Safety has big the biggest issue across the board, and I feel like this is a conversation that needs to be openly had. I put together this panel and I want Darren to be apart of the story with the safety situation within the sport after his accident. When people feel like their being attacked, they want to protect what they love. I love this sport and want to see if be strong and healthy and remain apart of the Olympic family together. If there are ways to make it a safer and a healthier sport then so be it. It's conversations like this that will help grow the sport and ultimately help to make it safe."
To call into Dover's World, please dial 561-844-6167 or toll-free from anywhere, 1-800-889-0267. The show begins promptly at 6pm, and will last until 8pm.
For more information please visit www.doversworld.com
Photo: Robert Dover at Sho Talk taken in 2010
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