THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 11, 1996 TAG: 9604110466
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Medium: 71 lines
If you'll grab your copy of the latest U.S. Equestrian Team News, you'll note that . . . what's that? Your copy hasn't arrived yet? Then, please, allow me.
There in the USET News are the national computer rankings for show jumpers, in which Portsmouth native Debi Connor is included. Way down at No. 73.
Now, this probably seems impressive enough to somebody who barely knows a horse from a hamster. Being 73rd in the country at anything ain't bad.
But if I want to jump for the U.S. Olympic Team in July, a No. 73 ranking on the eve of the Olympic Trials probably isn't the most promising place from which to begin my leap.
At No. 73, it seems to me my horse and I would be starting from a whole other pasture than the top riding teams, and that our chances of being among the four qualifiers when the Trials finish June 23 would be slim.
Neigh.
I mean, no.
No, you should not assume any such thing, Connor explained patiently over the phone the other day from West Palm Beach, Fla., where the first of eight Olympic Trials will be held Friday.
The rankings are misleading in the first place, she said, because when a rider teams up with a new horse, they start from scratch in the rankings. And in the second place, the rankings play no part in determining who makes the Olympic Team.
In the end, the only thing that matters is how swiftly and cleanly Connor and her horse, Second Honeymoon, negotiate obstacle-filled courses in Florida, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey over the next two months.
Reaching the Olympics is a ``very realistic'' goal, said Connor, 39, who lives in Virginia Beach as part-owner of Cavalier Farms. ``I bought (Second Honeymoon) specifically for the Olympic Games. Throughout the year, I've been very selective in what I've shown her in. I'm making sure to keep her very fresh and fit. I've been saving her for the Trials.''
Those limited competitive appearances on Second Honeymoon, whom Connor bought barely a year ago, are behind the low ranking, she said.
``The slate was wiped clean,'' said Connor, who has been training and raising horses for sale in Florida since January. ``We have to come from the bottom up.''
Connor's confidence is not the naivete of a rookie. The daughter of the late Larry Weldon, Cradock High School's longtime football coach, Connor has ridden since she was 3 and began competing as a preteen.
She was chasing a 1984 Olympic Team berth but was seriously injured in 1983 when a horse fell on her. The accident put Connor into a coma for 10 days and temporarily paralyzed her left side.
Connor remains on medication for epilepsy caused by the accident, but the paralysis is gone.
And over the last decade she continued to train horses and even jump competitively, though on a smaller scale.
``After the accident, I thought there were other things in life other than jumping horses over painted rails,'' she said.
Connor indulged another interest, acting, and made a series of jumping and training videos. But she didn't rekindle Olympic notions until a business acquaintance, who now also owns part of Cavalier, convinced her she was good enough to go for it in '96.
And since she acquired Second Honeymoon, a solid circuit veteran, Connor's convinced her mount is good enough, too.
``You're as good,'' Connor said, ``as what you're sitting on.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
STEVE EARLEY/The Virginian-Pilot
Debi Connor of Virginia Beach is training in Florida, seeking to
make the Olympic equestrian team as a show jumper.
by CNB