Bruce Davidson (equestrian)

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Olympic medal record
Equestrian
Silver Atlanta 1996 Three-day event team
Gold Los Angeles 1984 Three-day event team
Gold Montreal 1976 Three-day event team
Silver Munich 1972 Three-day event team

Bruce Oram Davidson (born December 31, 1949 in Rome, New York) is an American equestrian who competes in the sport of eventing. He still competes today, well into his 50s, at the sport's highest level.

Advanced Horses:

Davidson was not born into a "horsey" family, but was able to work his way into the horse world when he moved to Westport, Massachusetts. His businessman father, Francis, and ex-concert pianist mother, Annette, wanted him to learn to work for what he earned, and so each summer he would buy a pony at auction, train it, and then sell it before school started. He would then use that money to buy a slightly better horse the next year. He finally came upon his great partner Irish Cap in this manner, but decided the horse was too special to sell. Irish Cap provided Davidson with the means to compete at the sport's highest levels. The pair went on to win the gold medal at the 1974 World Championshipships.

Originally Davidson wished to go into veterinary medicine, but decided to drop out in his third year at Iowa State University where he was getting his undergraduate degree. Instead, he went to train with the USET.

Davidson began competing at the international level in 1971, and completed his first Olympic Games in 1972, winning the team silver medal.

He now lives at his Chesterland Farm in Unionville, Pennsylvania, where he had a Thoroughbred breeding program and where he trains horses and riders alike. He also competes regularly, often against his son, Buck.

Bruce Davidson's and Chesterland Farm's official website is at http://www.BruceDavidsonEventing.com (http://www.ChesterlandFarm.com)

Contents

[edit] Major accomplishments

Davidson has had an outstanding career, boasting 2 team silver (1972, 1996) and 2 team gold (1976, 1984) medals at the Olympics, receiving his first at the age of 22. He is also a 2-time World Champion (the only equestrian to be a back-to-back winner), bronze medal winner at the 1990 World Equestrian Games, has won the Rolex Kentucky Three Day a record 6 times, and is one of only two Americans to have won the Badminton Horse Trials. Davidson has had top placings at the Burghley Horse Trials, has been the USCTA's leading rider a record 14 times (1980-1995), and was leading event rider in the world on the FEI rankings in 1993 and in 1995.

[edit] Davidson and the Rolex Kentucky CCI

Bruce Davidson's win at the 1974 World Championships gave the United States the opportunity to host the 1978 World Championships. This lead to the creation of the Kentucky Horse Park, and the event later became the annual Rolex Kentucky Three Day, the only CCI**** held in the United States, and one of only five currently held in the world. Davidson has had a long-spanning career at the event, having ridden over the course 68 times on 30 different horses, with a record 6 wins (although none of these wins has been the CCI****).

[edit] Pan American Games 1975

During the Three-Day Event, Bruce Davidson, who officials mistook for disqualified Canadian Jim Day, was halted in mid-run, but was allowed to continue and won the silver medal after the error was discovered.

[edit] Record

2004

  • 7th Rolex Kentucky CCI**** (Little Tricky)
  • 13the Rolex Kentucky CCI**** (Arrow)

2003

  • 8th Rolex Kentucky CCI**** (Little Tricky)

2002

  • 5th Rolex Kentucky CCI**** (High Scope)
  • 14th Rolex Kentucky CCI**** (Apparition)

2001

  • 4th Rolex Kentucky CCI**** (Little Tricky)
  • 9th Rolex Kentucky CCI**** (Apparition)
  • 10th Rolex Kentucky CCI**** (Eagle Lion)

2000

  • 7th Rolex Kentucky CCI**** (Eagle Lion)

1999

  • 17th Rolex Kentucky CCI*** (Status Symbol)
  • 31st Rolex Kentucky CCI*** (Little Tricky)

1998

  • Team Bronze, Individually 21st at the World Equestrian Games (Heyday)
  • 3rd Badminton Three Day (Eagle Lion)
  • 7th Rolex Kentucky CCI (Squelch)
  • 8th Rolex Kentucky CCI (Heyday)

1997

  • 2nd Blenheim Horse Trials CCI ***(Heyday)

1996

  • Team Silver and 9th individually Atlanta Olympic Games (Heyday)

1995

  • Leading Rider in the World Three Day Event Rider Rankings
  • 1st Badminton Horse Trials (Eagle Lion)
  • Individual Gold Medal at the Pan Am Games (Heyday)
  • 16th Burghley Horse Trials (Heyday)

1994

  • 2nd Rolex Kentucky CCI (Regent Lion)
  • 7th Rolex Kentucky CCI (Heyday)
  • 17th Rolex Kentucky CCI (Happy Talk)

1993

  • Leading Rider in the World Three Day Event Rider Rankings
  • 1st Rolex Kentucky CCI (Happy Talk)

1992

  • 8th Rolex Kentucky CCI (Happy Talk)

1990

  • 4th Rolex Kentucky CCI (Pirate Lion)
  • 7th Rolex Kentucky CCI (Needles Prince)

1989

  • 1st Rolex Kentucky CCI (Dr. Peaches)

1988

  • 1st Rolex Kentucky CCI (Dr. Peaches)
  • 2nd Rolex Kentucky CCI (JJ Babu)

1987

  • 1st Stockhold CCI*** (JJ Babu)

1986

  • 2nd Burghley Horse Trials (JJ Babu)
  • 6th Badminton Horse Trials (JJ Babu)

1985

  • 4th Rolex Kentucky CCI (Dr. Peaches)
  • 11th Badminton CCIO *** (JJ Babu)

1984

  • Team Gold, 13th individually Los Angeles Olympic Games (JJ Babu)
  • 1st Rolex Kentucky CCI (Dr. Peaches)

1983

  • 1st Rolex Kentucky CCI (JJ Babu)
  • 14th Rolex Kentucky CCI (Beacon Charm)

1982

  • 2nd Badminton Horse Trials (JJ Babu)

1978

  • 1st World Championship in Lexington, Kentucky (Might Tango)

1976

  • Team Gold Montreal Olympic Games (Might Tango)

1975

  • Team and Individual silver medal Pan American Games

1974

  • 1st World Championship in Burghley, England (Irish Cap)

1972

  • Team Silver München Olympic Games (Plain Sailing)
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