The United States Equestrian Team (USET) won the Bronze Medal in the eventing team competition following the concluding stadium jumping phase Sept. 19 in Sydney.

Team USA finished with a three-phase total of 175.80 penalties to win its second straight Olympic team medal in eventing.  Australia won the team Gold for the third consecutive time, finishing with a score of 146.80.  Great Britain won the Silver with a score of 161.00.

Leading the way for the USET was veteran rider David O’Connor of The Plains, VA who turned in one of only three fault-free rides on the day on Giltedge, a 14-year-old, Irish Thoroughbred gelding owned by Jacqueline Mars.  Nina Fout of Middleburg, VA had no jumping and five time penalties on her 3 Magic Beans, a 10-year-old, American Thoroughbred gelding; and Karen O’Connor of The Plains, VA clinched the medal when she scored 10 jumping penalties on Prince Panache, a 16-year-old, British Thoroughbred gelding owned by Jacqueline Mars.

Karen O’Connor finished the three-phase competition with a score of 43.00 penalties, third best behind Stuart Tinney of Australia (41.00) and Ingrid Klimke of Germany (41.20)