The Area II Adult Riders Program Training Three-Day Event has received an outpouring of support from the equestrian community for its unique educational competition, to be held October 18-22, 2005, at Waredaca Farm in Laytonsville, MD.

Among the upper level riders donating expertise are Olympic medalists Jim Wofford and Karen O’Connor, and Pan American Games medalists Jan Thompson and Phyllis Dawson. Other top people in the industry will also participate.

The Training Three-Day Event allows amateur and junior riders the opportunity to experience a real Olympic-style three-day event, scaled down for safety. It is officially a United States Eventing Association (USEA) Educational Activity.

Wofford, double Olympic Silver medalist and well-known international eventing coach, will give a special presentation to competitors during the week. Wofford was the NBC-TV eventing commentator for Rolex Kentucky Three-Day event, and recently coached the Canadian Olympic three-day event team among his many accomplishments in a lifetime of horsemanship.

Jan Thompson has been eventing for 25 years. She currently is a top-ranked U.S. advanced-level rider. Just two months ago, on her horse Task Force, Thompson was the highest-placed American with a seventh place finish at the Eventing World Cup Finals in Malmo, Sweden. Earlier this year, she finished sixth at Rolex Kentucky CCI**** in April. In 2003, Thompson won an Individual Bronze medal and Team Gold medal at the Pan American Championships. Her farm is Surefire Farm in Purcellville, VA.

Karen O'Connor of The Plains, VA, is the other half of O'Connor Event Team, with her famous eventing husband, David O'Connor. Karen is a four-time Olympic three-day event team member, and won Team Bronze in Sydney and Team Silver in Atlanta. She has won Rolex (three times), Boekelo (Holland), Chesterland, Fair Hill, the Foxhall Cup, Punchestown (Ireland) and more and was named the USEA's Female Equestrian Athlete of the Year a record nine times. More recently, she was the Individual
Silver medalist at the Pan American Championships and Team Gold medalist, while winning Fair Hill International*** in 2003.

Max Corcoran, employed by O’Connor as a head groom for the O’Connor Event Team, comes from an eventing background; she managed eventer Jim Stamets' farm in Massachusetts. She came to the OCET after Stamet's untimely death in 2001. Corcoran takes great care of O'Connor's competition horses and youngsters and helps with their conditioning and management.

Stuart Young Black is British-born, but rode for Canada on international three-day eventing teams and was a Canadian Olympic team member in 1992. He has had top 10 placings at Rolex, Fair Hill, Radnor, etc., and won Radnor in 2004 on the mare Fleeceworks Starlight. He obtained U.S. citizenship in 2004, and currently is based in Virginia with wife Momi, also an advanced level eventer.

Melissa Hunsberger is an assistant trainer at Windchase Farm in VA, owned by Phyllis Dawson. She makes sure the daily operations run smoothly, and schools young horses for Windchase while also teaching lessons. She is now competing her two talented horses that she has trained herself, Just Fun Stuff and Expedience, at the advanced level.

Phyllis Dawson is a former Pony Clubber, and has been eventing at the advanced level since 1977. An Olympic team member at Seoul, Korea, in 1992, she finished 10th, the highest-placed American in the three-day event. She was part of a winning American team at Boekelo CCI***, and that year also she was USCTA high point Lady Rider. In the 90's, she won such events as Essex, Checkmate, Bromont and Radnor. Dawson had several top 10 finishes at Rolex and placings at other four-star events throughout Europe, topping the North American section in 1977 for the FEI Land Rover World