Introduction
Cian O'Connor (born 12 November 1979) is an Irish equestrian competing in show jumping. He has competed at four Olympic Games, four World Championships and six European Championships.
O'Connor was stripped of the gold medal at the 2004 Olympics when his horse was found to have a banned substance in its system. O'Connor returned to the Olympics in 2012, receiving the bronze medal in the individual showjumping event. At the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics, O'Connor withdrew his mount Kilkenny after the horse suffered a nosebleed during their round.
Cian was a member of the Irish Teams that won the Aga Khan Trophy at the Dublin Horse show in 2004, 2012, 2015 and 2022.
O’Connor was also a member of the winning Irish team at the European Show Jumping Championships in 2017, where he placed third in the individual competition.
As part of the Irish World Championships team in Herning 2022, O'Connor qualified for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.
Major results
| Year | Place | Horse | Event | Rating | Show | Location |
| 2008 | 4th | Rancorrado | Grand Prix | CSIO5* | Real Club De Polo Barcelona | Barcelona, Spain |
| 2008 | 1st | Rancorrado | Grand Prix | CSI4* | Chateau De Chantilly | Chantilly, France |
| 2009 | 1st | Rancorrado | Grand Prix | CSI5* WC | Olympia London Horse Show | London, United Kingdom |
| 2009 | 2nd | Rancorrado | World Cup | CSI5* WC | Olympia London Horse Show | London, United Kingdom |
| 2009 | 3rd | Rancorrado | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO5* | All English Show Grounds Hickstead | Hickstead, United Kingdom |
| 2009 | 3rd | Rancorrado | World Cup | CSI5* WC | Partner Pferd Leipzig | Leipzig, Germany |
| 2010 | 2nd | K Club Lady | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO5* | RDS Arena | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2010 | 2nd | K Club Lady | Grand Prix | CSIO5* | CSIO St Gallen | St Gallen, Switzerland |
| 2010 | 3rd | K Club Lady | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO5* | Piazza Di Sienna | Rome, Italy |
| 2010 | 1st | Rancorrado | Grand Prix | CSI4* | Longines CHI Classics Basel | Basel, Switzerland |
| 2011 | 1st | Larkhill Cruiser | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO5* | La Baule Horse Show | La Baule, France |
| 2011 | 2nd | Larkhill Cruiser | World Cup | CSIO4* WC | Al Ain Equestrian Centre | Abu Dhabi, UAE |
| 2012 | 1st | Blue Lloyd 12 | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO5* | RDS Arena | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2012 | 3rd | Blue Lloyd 12 | Grand Prix | CSIO5* | RDS Arena | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2012 | Bronze Medal | Blue Lloyd 12 | Olympic Games London Individual Final | Olympic Games | Summer Olympic Games London | London, United Kingdom |
| 2012 | 2nd | Blue Lloyd 12 | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO4* | Hubside Jumping Valence | Valence, France |
| 2013 | 1st | Blue Lloyd 12 | Grand Prix | CSIO5* | RDS Arena | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2013 | 3rd | Blue Lloyd 12 | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO5* | RDS Arena | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2016 | 3rd | Good Luck | World Cup | CSI5* WC | Stuttgart German Masters | Stuttgart, Germany |
| 2016 | 5th | Good Luck | Grand Prix | CSIO5* | Los Angeles Horse Show | Los Angeles, USA |
| 2016 | 4th | Good Luck | Grand Prix | CSIO5* | RDS Arena | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2016 | 1st | Good Luck | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO5* | RDS Arena | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2017 | Bronze Medal | Good Luck | European Championship Individual Final | EUCH | Gothenburg Horse Show | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| 2017 | Gold Medal | Good Luck | European Championship Team Final | EUCH | Gothenburg Horse Show | Gothenburg, Sweden |
| 2017 | 1st | Good Luck | Grand Prix | CSIO5* | Hipodrom Sopot | Sopot, Poland |
| 2018 | Bronze Medal | Good Luck | World Equestrian Championships Team Final | CSI5* | Tryon Equestrian Centre | Tryon, USA |
| 2019 | 3rd | PSG Final | Global Champions League Final | CSI5* | O2 Arena PraguePlayoffs | Prague, Czech Republic |
| 2019 | 1st | PSG Final | Grand Prix | CSI4* | X-Bionic Sphere | Samorin, Slovakia |
| 2019 | 1st | PSG Final | Senior Nations Cup Final | CSIO5* | Real Club De Polo | Barcelona, Spain |
| 2019 | 2nd | PSG Final | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO5* | Piazza Di Sienna | Rome, Italy |
| 2021 | 7th | Kilkenny | Olympic Games Tokyo Individual Final | Olympic Games | Summer Olympic Games Tokyo | Tokyo, Japan |
| 2021 | 4th | Kilkenny | Grand Prix | CSI4* | Tops International Arena | Valkenswaard, The Netherlands |
| 2021 | 3rd | Kilkenny | Grand Prix | CSI5* | Wellington Equestrian Festival | Wellington, USA |
| 2022 | 1st | Taj Mahal | Grand Prix | CSI3* | Knokke Hippique | Knokke, Belgium |
| 2022 | 4th | C Vier 2 | World Equestrian Championships Team Final | CSIO5* | Herning Rideklub | Herning, Denmark |
| 2022 | 1st | Kilkenny | Senior Nations Cup | CSIO5* | RDS Arena | Dublin, Ireland |
| 2022 | 1st | Kilkenny | Grand Prix | CSI3* | Sunshine Tour Montenmedio | Vejer de la Frontera, Spain |
2004 Summer Olympics
Riding Waterford Crystal, O'Connor placed first in the individual jumping competition, earning Ireland's only gold medal. However, on 8 October 2004, it emerged that Waterford Crystal had tested positive for a prohibited substance. The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) ruled that O'Connor must be stripped of his medal and he also received a three-month ban from competition. FEI found that he did not deliberately attempt to affect the performance of the horse. The individual showjumping gold medal went to Brazilian Rodrigo Pessoa and the Irish team's seventh place was inherited by the Italians.
2012 Summer Olympics
O'Connor won the bronze medal in London with his horse Blue Loyd 12 in individual jumping. He lost to Gerco Schröder of the Netherlands in a Silver medal jump-off.
2020 Summer Olympics
O'Connor rode to seventh place with Kilkenny at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (celebrated in 2021), but withdrew after his horse suffered a nosebleed during their round. Blood became visible from the horses nostrils three-quarters into their jumping round, and due to the horse's grey colouring, it was visible to spectators on the event's livestream. The appearance of blood from the nostrils was not in violation of the FEI's blood rule, however out of an abundance of caution, O'Connor withdrew from the remaining team competition.
Horses
- Kilkenny: (01/05/2012) Gelding, Grey. Irish Sport Horse (Cardento 933 x Guidam)
- Taj Mahal: (11/05/2013) Stallion, Bay. Zangersheide (Emerald Van'T Ruytershof x Quannan R)
- C Vier 2': (22/05/2008) Gelding, Bay. Holsteiner (Cardento 933 x Concorde)
- Good Luck: (15/05/2006) Stallion, Bay. Belgian Warmblood (Canturo x Furioso II)
- Blue Lloyd 12: (11/02/2000) Gelding, Bay. Oldenburger (Landor S x Hadj A X)
- Splendor: (31/05/1999) Gelding, Chestnut. Dutch Warmblood (Lester x Marinier)
- K Club Lady: (08/03/1999) Mare, Bay. Holsteiner (Calido x Landgraf I)
- Arabella: (05/05/2003) Mare, Bay. Irish Sport Horse (Heartbreaker x Cavalier Royale)
- Larkhill Cruiser: (20/03/2001) Gelding, Chestnut. Irish Sport Horse (Cruising x Crosstown Dancer)
- Rancorrado: (06/04/1998) Gelding, Bay. Dutch Warmblood (Gran Corrado x Hamlet). Horse
- Echo Beach : (23/05/2007) Stallion, Bay. Anglo European (Unbelievable Darco x Goodtimes)
- Waterford Crystal : (06/03/1991) Gelding, Bay. Holsteiner (Landgraf I x Corvado)