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In the lead American O'Connor on top of three-day standings
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- A once-in-a-lifetime dressage ride put American David O'Connor in first place after the opening day of the individual three-day equestrian event Wednesday. O'Connor, of The Plains, Va., performed a graceful, mistake-free test on Custom Made to score 29.0. He was part of the U.S. bronze medal-winning three-day team on Tuesday. "I've never broken 30 in my life on any horse," O'Connor, 38, said. "When he floats like that I just sit up there and smile. It's a partnership." He was followed by Marina Koehncke of Germany on Longchamps with 34.8 and Heidi Antikatzidis of Greece on Michaelmas with 37.4. Robert Costello of Southern Pines, N.C., on Chevalier, had 42.4 points for ninth place and was still in the hunt for a medal going into the cross-country endurance test Thursday (Wednesday night EDT). "I was hoping for the low 40s, so I'm more than happy," Costello said. O'Connor finished fifth on Custom Made in the individual three-day event in Atlanta and said he's looking forward to riding the cross-country course on his second horse of the week. "We call him Iron Man," said O'Connor. "He's 16 and one of the toughest horses I've ever had the pleasure to be around." Costello said the cross-country course should also favor Chevalier. "It will suit my horse very well," he said. "You need a good galloper. If you have to set your horse up before each fence you'll have time faults." The third U.S. rider, Julie Black of Newnan, Ga., earned 52.8 on Hyde Park Corner and is in the middle of the pack of 38 riders. She said her horse tried to shy throughout the test. "He's a little bit opinionated," said Black. "I wasn't nervous. He's a little bit temperamental and takes awhile to get used to each new atmosphere." Black said the individual-event riders learned a lot about the course by watching the team event.
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