Gladstone, NJ—November 1, 2002—Sydney Olympic Gold Medal horse Custom Made was named United States Equestrian Team (USET) Athlete of the Month for October after he carried David O’Connor to victory in his farewell competition at the 2002 Fair Hill International Eventing Championship, October 24-27.

O’Connor had announced that the Fair Hill International would be the final event for the 17-year-old Thoroughbred who had carried him to the individual Gold Medal at Sydney. O’Connor and Custom Made topped a starting field of seventy-eight horses from six countries to win both the Fair Hill International CCI*** and the United States Equestrian Team Eventing Three-Star Fall Championship.

Custom Made has had an unparalleled competitive record over eight years with O’Connor before his retirement at the 2002 Fair Hill International. At Sydney, O'Connor won the U.S.’s first Olympic Gold Medal in equestrian since 1984, finishing with the best score in Olympic history. Prior to that, Custom Made won the USET Three Star Spring Championship at the Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event in 1995, finished third at the Badminton CCI**** in England in 1996, placed fifth at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996 and won the Badminton CCI**** in 1997.

The United States Equestrian Team is a non-profit organization that selects, trains, equips and finances equestrians of the highest possible standard to represent our country in major international competition, including the Olympic Games and the World Championships. To accomplish this the USET seeks out and nurtures the development of talented athletes - riders, drivers and horses - and provides the support and guidance they need to help them attain their fullest potential. For more information on the USET, please call (908) 234-1251, or visit USET ONLINE at www.uset.org.