How did you and Karen team up?
At one point, Teddy's previous rider wanted to purchase him, but she ended up being unable to. That left me in a financial bind--basically, it made no sense for me to keep him because I couldn't afford to have him in competition without help. So I approached Karen, who had coached Teddy in the past, about what to do with him. She suggested I let her compete him "for a while,"--the idea being that that would help get him sold. It looks like "a while" has now become "forever," and I'm grateful for that, too.

You have created a syndicate to help with Teddy’s expenses. It's not an industry standard especially for geldings, how did the idea come about?
The idea was strictly Karen's. Financially, it is just incredibly expensive to compete in this sport, especially if there is no profit motive. We are looking for syndicate members who want to participate in the sport, not profit from it. We think Teddy is a wonderful vehicle for that kind of interest because, if he can make it all the way, he will bring an enormous amount of publicity to the sport--especially if he competes in Europe. I won't profit from syndicating him, not if you add up all his bills in all the years he's been out there, but I don't mind. Some things are just not about money. They're about accomplishing something significant.

Helping Teddy may help the sport, too. I truly believe that and agree with Jimmy Wofford who addresses the need to attract more attention from the public and sponsors. We need to bring out stories like the Teddy's and Mr. Big's, Windfall's ups and downs, Mandiba's almost flawless career to date, Woody's comeback, and the tragedies as well as triumphs. Stories like these in the press will help the sport and fan base to grow.

The Theodore O’Connor Syndicate
Sportponies Unlimited
O'Connor Event Team