Karen O'Connor[1] is an American equestrian. She was born February 17, 1958. Her family includes Joanne and Phillip Lende and brothers Steven and Chip. She grew up in Bolton, Massachusetts.

Karen got her first horse, Midnight, for her 11th birthday, and began eventing through Pony Club. She later owned a Connemara named Erin's Shamrock, who took her to her first Three-Day Event at Radnor. The pair eventually moved up to the Advanced level. Karen began competing internationally in 1979 when she was 21 years old.

In 1993, Karen married longtime boyfriend and fellow equestrian David O'Connor in Virginia. Together they formed the famous O'Connor event team. Karen's latest business venture is a partnership with Equestrian Services, LLC to exclusively offer the world’s first branded equestrian facilities and amenities for residential communities and resorts worldwide.

Karen has been named US Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year ten times and, in 1993, was the number one ranked lady rider in the world. In 1996 she received the Team Silver Medal at the Atlanta Olympics, riding Biko. In 2000 she won the Team Bronze Medal at the Sydney Olympics, aboard Prince Panache. At the Pan American Games at Fair Hill, Karen and Joker’s Wild earned the Individual Silver Medal.

At the Rolex Kentucky Event 2007, Karen rode a 14.1 American Sport Horse Pony named Theodore O'Connor. It was the first time a pony had competed at the top-level international event, and the pair finished third overall. Karen and "Teddy" won individual and team gold medals at the Pan American Games in 2007. On May 28, 2008, Teddy was euthanized following a freak accident at the O'Connor's farm.

On July 29, 2008, the United States Equestrian Federation announced that O'Connor would join the 2008 Olympic eventing team with the 9-year-old gelding Mandiba.

Accomplishments

2008

• Rolex Kentucky Three Day
  • 6th Theodore O'Connor
• 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Hong Kong/Beijing, China
  • Team USA- Mandiba
• Florida Fall International CCI**
  • 2nd That’s Smart

2007

• Rolex Kentucky Three Day
  • 3rd Theodore O'Connor
  • 15th Upstage
• 2007 Pan American Games
  • Theodore O'Connor: Team and individual gold medals

2006

• FEI World Equestrian Games
  • 42nd individually Upstage
• Rolex Kentucky Three Day
  • 12th Upstage
• Jersey Fresh CCI***
  • 9th Theodore O'Connor

2005

• Rolex Kentucky Three Day
  • 7th Upstage
• Jersey Fresh CCI***
  • 3rd Joker's Wild

2004

• Rolex Kentucky Three Day
  • 12th Upstage
  • 15th Bally Mar
  • 17th Grand Slam

• Fair Hill International CCI***
  • 8th - Joker's Wild

2003

• Individual Silver, Pan American Games, Fair Hill, Maryland
  • Joker's Wild
• Fair Hill International CCI***
  • 1st Grand Slam

2001

• Foxhall Cup CCI***
  • 1st Prince Panache

2000

• Team Bronze Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia
  • Prince Panache
• Rolex Kentucky CCI****
  • 3rd Prince Panache

1999

• Rolex Kentucky CCI****
  • 1st Prince Panache
  • 2nd Regal Scot

1998

• Team Bronze World Equestrian Games, Rome, Italy
  • Prince Panache
• Badminton CCI****
  • 5th
• Rolex CCI****
  • 5th

1997

• Rolex CCI****
  • 1st Worth the Trust
• Member USET, European Open Three Day Event Championship, Burghley, Great Britain

1996

• Team Silver Olympic Games, Atlanta, U.S.A.
  • Biko

1995

• Badminton CCI****
  • 3rd Biko
• Checkmate CCI***
  • 3rd
• European Open Three Day Event Championship, Italy
  • 8th

1994

• World Equestrian Games, The Hague, Netherlands
  • 11th individual
• Burghley CCI****
  • 5th Prince Panache

1993

• Punchestown CCI***, Ireland
  • 1st Shannon
  • 3rd Enniskerry

1991

• Rolex Kentucky CCI***
  • 1st Mr. Maxwell
• Burghley CCI***
  • 3rd Mr. Maxwell

1989

• Fair Hill CCI***
  • 1st Nos Ecus

1988

• Member USET Three Day Squad, Olympic Games, Seoul, Korea

1986

• Member USET Squad, World Championships, Gawler, Australia

1985

• Chesterland CCI***
  • 1st Castlewellan

1984

• Boekelo CCI***, Holland
  • 1st The Optimist

1979

• Badminton CCI****
  • 10 March Brown