Olympic eventing cross-country: Austin O’Connor jumps clear for Ireland

Austen O’Connor riding Colorado Blue for Ireland jumps clear inside the time around the Olympic eventing cross-country at the Tokyo Games — Austin O'Connor ( IRL) riding Colorado Blue during the cross country phase for the Olympic Eventing Competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games held at Equestrian Park in Setagaya-ku in Tokyo in Japan between the 23rd July and 8th August 2021

(Image credit: Peter Nixon)

Austin O’Connor stepped up for Ireland, producing one of only six clears inside the time in the Olympic eventing cross-country at the Tokyo Games.

Originally the team’s alternate, Austin and Colorado Blue were swapped in before the dressage when Cathal Daniels and Rioghan Rua withdrew for “veterinary reasons”.

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Since joining H&H in 2018, Becky has covered a broad range of equestrian news including welfare matters, veterinary studies, FEI Tribunal hearings and road safety campaigns. She has also interviewed top riders including Scott Brash, John Whitaker and Ian Stark, to name just a few. Becky’s reporting has taken her to Canada for Spruce Meadows and France for Pau five-star, as well as the Royal Highland and Blair Castle International Horse Trials closer to home. She was also a key part of the remote reporting team for the Tokyo Olympics and the Europeans.

H&H’s Tokyo rider of the day: Austin O’Connor – ‘I was here to do a job and that was that’

“I had great confidence; things can go wrong but I’ve never sat on a horse like him and I’ve been around a while. First and foremost he’s got that bit of class,” said Austin about the 12-year-old gelding he co-owns with the Salty Syndicate.

Austin “got stuck in” as he attacked Derek de Grazia’s course, and at the end of the phase he sits 20th individually on his dressage score of 38.

“I was a little bit down in the first minute but not dramatically. I think I just let him settle into a rhythm really and where I was able to gallop I let him travel,” he said.

“It all rode as it walked, except, ironically, the fence we went long at. That was probably my most uncomfortable — I just found the distance a little bit long coming over but to call it a problem would be a serious exaggeration.”

Commenting on being swapped in ahead of the dressage, Austin said looking at the form of Colorado Blue, the gelding had “every right” to be there.

“It’s something we’ve worked at for a long time. I’ve had owners keep the horse this length of time with this in mind. We did everything accordingly and thank god I proved that,” he said, but added he “parked” any feelings of having something to prove ahead of his round.

“I was here to do a job and that was that.”

The Irish team sits in eighth on 161. Earlier in the day Sam Watson and Flamenco picked up an unlucky 11 penalties for triggering a frangible pin, plus time penalties to finish on 47.30. Sarah Ennis added 37.60 to her dressage score.

Tokyo marks 47-year-old Austin O’Connor’s third Olympic appearance. He represented Ireland at the Sydney Games in 2000, and the 2008 Games in Beijing. In June he and Colorado Blue were 10th in the Bicton CCI4*-S.

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