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Ranked frst overall on the US Eventing Association’s leaderboard, Olympic medalist Phillip Dutton can be described as the “iron horseman” of the equestrian triathlon, aka three-day eventing. Born in New South Wales in 1963, Phillip moved to the US in 1991 to prepare for the ‘96 Atlanta Olympics where he competed on the Australian gold-medal team. Phillip is a founding member of Professional Riders Organization (2009) and its president since last June Married for 13 years, Phillip and Evie Boyd make their home at their True Prospect Farm (West Grove, PA) with their children: Lee Lee, 16, an up-and-coming young event rider, and the twins, Mary and Olivia, 9. Phillip’s training business includes several top-level riders on the short list and numerous adult amateurs: they all swear by him. Phillip, named the Developing Rider Coach of 2009, has his sights set on “being part of a gold medal-winning US team.” He wouldn’t mind an individual gold either. He’s also driven to get the US back up to the top of international eventing.

PD: A horse that changed my life was True Blue Girdwood, a bay horse that I brought to the US. He got me to the (Atlanta) Olympics and he was not easy to ride, but he was a really good reliable horse. He taught me how to ride and also got me to a level where I had a chance of becoming an international rider. Without that horse I probably wouldn’t

be where I am today. Any horse that gets you to a four-star is a very special animal. I appreciate every one of them. [True Blue Girdwood enjoyed his retirement at home on the Dutton farm in Pennsylvania until he passed away two years ago at the age of 25.]

PD: Yes, Annie helped me to support him and helped with some expenses – that was a big help at the time to support the horse at the level where I wanted to compete him. She used to compete herself, and her family has a lot of involvement in horse sports and professional racing. I think she got into eventing because she could be hands on and do some of the training herself. It’s been a great friendship. We’ve kind of been through it all together. It’s great when the horses do really well, but she has a good attitude even when the horses get injured. She enjoys the whole process. Annie comes to ride – does a lot of the jogging and gets to know the horses better. She enjoys being involved and helping them get to the big events.

PD: Annie owns a Thoroughbred horse that’s going intermediate in 2011 called Young Man. Sarah Hughes has two horses she bought in Germany: Alcatraz and Zeizos. Nina Gardner has a six-year-old she bred called Celtic Heritage. They’re all potential 4-star horses that I’m developing. I just got back from Ireland, bought two horses there – one for Nina Gardner and Bruce (Davidson) bought one. I have a horse going to three-star this year, Fern Hill

Eagle – he looks like a winner.

PD: I think you have to become an all-around rider and horseman. I see people rush to get out on their own too quickly – it doesn’t take much to have a blog or website and I think that sometimes people feel they have enough knowledge to do it on their own. It’s better to be surrounded by people with more experience than you and keep learning and wait until you really know what you’re doing.

PD: This has always been my goal, my dream. I was a farmer in Australia, and I still pinch myself sometimes when I think of what I’m doing. I’m not going to give it up too easily. I like it too well and I like this lifestyle. I want to show the owners that they were right selecting me to ride their horses. I like to win as well. I want to keep it going as long as I can.

Phillip Dutton, who has placed second at Rolex Kentucky fve times since 1993, won the four-star in 2008 on his fourth collaboration with Connaught and fnished 10th overall with Woodburn in their CCI**** debut

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