Biko (horse)
Encyclopedia
Biko was a horse ridden by American rider Karen O'Connor
at the international level in the sport of eventing
.
Biko was found by William Micklem in Wexford, Ireland. He told O'Connor of the horse, and she bought the then five-year-old Thoroughbred. She found the horse to be incredibly talented, with a great ability to shorten and lengthen his stride, great strength and grace, and beautiful movement.
Biko made the 1996 Olympic Team, but his rider broke her thumb days earlier which made it difficult to control the strong horse, and the pair had a run-out on cross-country. However, they helped the United States win the team silver medal after a clear stadium round. He later made the American Team at the 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games
, where he finished an individual 11th place.
Biko holds the number one spot on the Top Ten All American High Point Horses of the Century, and won the Horse of the Century Award from the USCTA (now USEA
). With O'Connor, he represented the country on multiple occasions, including the 1996 Olympic Games, and competed and finished with top placings at the Badminton Horse Trials
and Rolex Kentucky Three Day
.
The gelding was retired in 1999, when he was 15, after he slipped both of his achilles tendons off his hocks at the Badminton Horse Trials
. A ceremony was held at the 2001 Rolex Kentucky Three Day. The gelding now enjoys his retirement on the O'Connor farm.
Competition Record
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
Karen O'Connor
Karen Lende O'Connor 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....
at the international level in the sport of eventing
Eventing
Eventing is an equestrian event comprising dressage, cross-country, and show jumping. This event has its roots in a comprehensive cavalry test requiring mastery of several types of riding...
.
- Color: BayBay (color)Bay is a hair coat color of horses, characterized by a reddish brown body color with a black mane, tail, ear edges, and lower legs. Bay is one of the most common coat colors in many horse breeds....
miaa - Markings: Large blaze, sock right hind
- Height: 17.3 hhHand (unit)The hand is a non-SI unit of measurement of length, now used only for the measurement of the height of horses in some English-speaking countries, including Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. With origins in ancient Egypt, it was originally based on the breadth of a human hand...
(173 cm) - Sex: GeldingGeldingA gelding is a castrated horse or other equine such as a donkey or a mule. Castration, and the elimination of hormonally driven behavior associated with a stallion, allows a male horse to be calmer and better-behaved, making the animal quieter, gentler and potentially more suitable as an everyday...
- Foaled: 1984
- Breed: Irish Thoroughbred/Irish Sport Horse
- Breeding: by Beau Charmeur out of My Hansel by Prince Hansel
- Rider: Karen O'Connor
- Owner: Mr. & Mrs. Richard Thompson, Malvern, PA.
Biko was found by William Micklem in Wexford, Ireland. He told O'Connor of the horse, and she bought the then five-year-old Thoroughbred. She found the horse to be incredibly talented, with a great ability to shorten and lengthen his stride, great strength and grace, and beautiful movement.
Biko made the 1996 Olympic Team, but his rider broke her thumb days earlier which made it difficult to control the strong horse, and the pair had a run-out on cross-country. However, they helped the United States win the team silver medal after a clear stadium round. He later made the American Team at the 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games
1994 FEI World Equestrian Games
The 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games were held in The Hague, Netherlands from July 27 to August 7, 1994. They were the second edition of the games which are held every four years and run by the FEI.-Events:13 events in 6 disciplines were held in The Hague....
, where he finished an individual 11th place.
Biko holds the number one spot on the Top Ten All American High Point Horses of the Century, and won the Horse of the Century Award from the USCTA (now USEA
United States Eventing Association
This article is about the U. S. Eventing Association. For the United States Energy Association, see The United States Eventing Association is the organization responsible for organizing, promoting and adjudicating equestrian eventing within the United States of America...
). With O'Connor, he represented the country on multiple occasions, including the 1996 Olympic Games, and competed and finished with top placings at the Badminton Horse Trials
Badminton Horse Trials
The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only six annual Concours Complet International Four Star **** events as classified by the Fédération Équestre Internationale , which takes place in April or May each year in the park of Badminton House, the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in...
and Rolex Kentucky Three Day
Rolex Kentucky Three Day
The Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event is an eventing competition held at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky. The Rolex Kentucky is a CCI**** eventing competition, and the only four-star show in the Western Hemisphere. Four stars is the highest level of competition, the same level of...
.
The gelding was retired in 1999, when he was 15, after he slipped both of his achilles tendons off his hocks at the Badminton Horse Trials
Badminton Horse Trials
The Badminton Horse Trials is a three-day event, one of only six annual Concours Complet International Four Star **** events as classified by the Fédération Équestre Internationale , which takes place in April or May each year in the park of Badminton House, the seat of the Dukes of Beaufort in...
. A ceremony was held at the 2001 Rolex Kentucky Three Day. The gelding now enjoys his retirement on the O'Connor farm.
Competition Record
1999
- 12th Badminton Three-day Event CCI****Concours Complet InternationalThe Concours Complet International and the Concours International Combiné are ratings for the equestrian sport of eventing, given by the international governing body for the sport, the FEI....
- 24th Beaulieu North American Classic HT (Advanced)
- 7th Morven Park Spring HT (Advanced)
- 2nd Sharpton Winter HT AI
1998
- 5th Rolex Kentucky Three-day Event CCI****
- 12th Beaulieu North American Classic HT (Advanced)
- 4th Morven Park Spring HT (Advanced)
- 6th Sharpton Winter HT AI
1997
- 7th Fair Hill International Three-day Event CCI***
- 10th Gatcombe HT (Advanced)
- 55th Badminton Three-day Event CCI****
- 2nd Beaulieu North American Classic HT (Advanced)
- 2nd Morven Park Spring HT (Advanced)
- 7th Sharpton Winter HT AI
1996
- Team Silver, 18th Individually Atlanta Olympic Games (CCI****)
- 24th North Georgia International Open Invitational HT (Advanced)
- 2nd Groton House Farm HT (Advanced)
- 2nd Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (Advanced)
- 20th Beaulieu North American Classic HT (Advanced)
- 5th Morven Park Spring HT (Advanced)
1995
- 8th European Three-day Championships CCI*** (Best US horse)
- 3rd Badminton Three-Day Event CCI****
- 6th Morven Park Spring HT (Advanced)
1994
- 11th Individually at the 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games1994 FEI World Equestrian GamesThe 1994 FEI World Equestrian Games were held in The Hague, Netherlands from July 27 to August 7, 1994. They were the second edition of the games which are held every four years and run by the FEI.-Events:13 events in 6 disciplines were held in The Hague....
(CCI****)
1993
- 6th Blenheim Audi International Horse Trials CCI***
1992
- 3rd Loughanmore 3-Day CCI**
- 6th Essex Three-Day Event CCI*
- 3rd MCTA HT (Preliminary)
- 4th Loudoun Hunt P.C. Spring H.T. OP
1991
- 3rd Radnor Hunt International Three-Day Event CCI*
- 1st Blue Ridge HT (Preliminary)
- 1st Fair Hill HT OP
- 1st Groton House Farm HT (Preliminary)
- 5th Fair Hill May HT OP