Biography:

Neil O'Connor, Southampton NY

Neil O'Connor has been involved with horses since 1978, when he began working at Noel C. Duggan's Green Glens Equestrian Center in his hometown of Millstreet, Co. Cork, Ireland, the site of the Millstreet International Horse Show. O'Connor came to the United States in 1987, where he groomed at Sandron, operated by Olympians Conrad Homfeld and Joe Fargis, who rode the Green Glens-bred mare, Mill Pearl, at the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.

O'Connor then worked as part of jump and grounds crews on the major Amercan horse show circuits on both coasts and subsequently became a USEF and FEI jumper judge. He has officiated at such major events as the US Olympic Trials, the Hampton Classic, the Winter Equestrian Festival and HITS, in addition to serving at the Atlanta Olympics and the World Cup Showjumping Final.