The Gates to Brilliance: How a Gay, Jewish, Middle-Class Kid Who Loved Horses Found Success

Robert Dover served as Technical Advisor and Chef d'Equipe for The Dutta Corp. U.S. Dressage Team from 2013 to 2018. Under his leadership, the U.S. Dressage Team returned to the podium at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, where the team won a bronze medal. Additionally, in 2015 Dover coached the U.S. Dressage Team to a gold medal at the Pan American Games. A five-time Olympian and four-time Olympic bronze medalist, and the first openly gay Olympic athlete when he came out in 1988, Dover has earned more honors than any other U.S. dressage rider, competing in five Olympic Games and four FEI World Equestrian Games. He also became the first American since 1960 to win the Aachen Grand Prix in 1987-something Dover considers a distinguished moment in his career. In the mid-nineties, he was a founding member of the Equestrian AIDS Foundation, which provided financial assistance and emotional support to those in the horse industry stricken with AIDS. The mission expanded in 2006 to help all fellow equestrians in need overcome adversity, focus on healing, and rebuild their lives. In 2019, Dover launched Robert Squared with his husband Robert Ross. Inspired by the ethical movement of Tesla and Mercedes to make the switch from traditional leather products to vegan, Dover decided to do the same for the equestrian industry. His company partners with top craftsmen, artisans, and manufacturers around the world to create top-of-the-line, handcrafted vegan tack and apparel for the dressage, jumper, and hunter disciplines. Dover lives in Wellington, Florida.