Profile: Show Jumping Figures - Ben O'Meara
Equestrian sports like horse racing and show jumping are mainly concentrated in regions of Europe and the United States of America. Despite much development and advancement, these sports have not been able to gain an international importance. However, this factor did not impede its progress, and the related sports’ men and women, who were zealous about Equestrian sports, continued to participate and improve it to the fullest. To this end, many people left their mark in the Equestrian world by innovating or building on the existing techniques, tricks and methods. One such figure is Ben O’Meara, who is one of the most eminent players in the sport of show jumping.
Ben O’Meara’s achievements are an inspiration for many in the field of Show Jumping, which couples with the fact that he was a committed self-taught rider. He started in Brooklyn from as basic as a groom and blacksmith of horses in this world. He was first noticed in the horse-riding (and racing) world in 1961 at the National Horse Show, with top performance in the show ring. After having showed remarkable performance at PHA Championship in 1962, he got associated with the National Horse Show Jumper Championship in which he took part in the competition with Kathy Kusner and Unusual, his efficient and well-trained horse. This combination brought great success to the team during the 1960s, and that is the time when O’Meara ultimately purchased Unusual (fall 1962) from Kusner in Midwest.
Untouchable was the first horse (a Green jumper of age 11) used by Ben O’Meara in 1963 in Florida. The combination came out celebrating a triumphant victory in the Green Jumper Championship. This competition was among the first ones to give immense fame to O’Meara in the world of show jumping. Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Butler later bought the Untouchable.
O’Meara’s other horses also competed for the USET team after he sold or loaned them. Among the examples is that of Jacks O Better, winning at the Grand Prix and Untouchable, who also brought about a great number of successes, where he mostly teamed with Kusner. After that, Kathy Kusner took the Untouchable from O’Meara for some time in 1963 to compete in the Open Jumper Championship.
The efforts and achievements of Ben O’Meara are not limited to his self-training and competitions only. He also used his skills and riding techniques to produce many winners and trained many horses and riders. Many examples can be quoted here, like Silver Lining horse. Similarly, his team with The Hood met with success at Jumper Championship, various other show ring competitions and the National Horse Show. Among his own trained horses, Gone Flying and Grey Lady, together with the effective riding techniques devised by himself, brought him success in various championships.
Being famous for his loyalties to the United States Equestrian Team foundation (USET), Ben O’Meara is known to have persisted to stay associated with the USET throughout his career. He helped the association cope up with its various ups and downs, and that is where he got the platform to test his ideas. He made many efforts to establish strong relations between professionals in the horse riding world (both riders and trainers) and the USET, and was successful in his attempts. He invented many effective riding techniques, and used them in training through the USET.
Ben O’Meara loaned his horse Untouchable to the USET in 1964 to be used by Kathy Kusner. This team proved to be a perfect combination and achieved great success in Europe at Grand Prix in Dublin that year, and against other Olympic competitors. Later they won at various competitions of the Nations’ Cup for the USET.
A plane crash became the cause of a sudden and tragic end to the life of Ben O’Meara at an early age of 30. For his achievements and dedication to the world of Show Jumping all his life, O’Meara is still remembered as an inspiration for his achievements in the USET and his riding are still used by the trainers, and even professionals.
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