Eventing News
Eyes on the Prize: True Test to Come on Cross-Country, Says Dutton
Our eyes have been focused on the dressage arena at the eventing venue these first two days of eventing at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2014 in Normandy. But if you ask Phillip Dutton – or just about anyone else competing here at Haras du Pin – “this isn’t going to be a dressage competition.” The big question awaits tomorrow, on one of the most demanding 4* courses in recent memory, where the riders have been flocking at every moment they can steal between rides in the dressage arena.
Dutton, who put in the best score (43.8) for the US Team on the first day of dressage, rode a brilliant test aboard Trading Aces. The horse was fluid and forward, something Dutton has to remain on top of. “Oscar,” he said, “tends to go on a three- or four-day cycle, where about every fourth day I need to get him really thinking forward. I think we’ve gotten it figured out now."
Throughout the day, Dutton was smiling and upbeat about the US Team’s chances. “I’m very pleased to be off to a good start, but I think the conditions [on cross-country] are going to play a major part in the whole event. We’ve come here to do our best, and nobody’s going to hold back.
“We’ve got a new coach with a lot of enthusiasm, which is fun for me because I’m a bit older. It’s good to have a new lease on life.” He described the Team as having a good of blend of expertise, from seasoned veterans such as himself to “some greener ones, and others in-between. I think it’s a great mix, and everything’s been going along really well, actually. We’ve had a good time together.”
At day’s end on Thursday, Germany held the provisional team lead with 81.9. The next three rankings were very tight: New Zealand (91.2), Great Britain (92) and the US (92.5). In individual standings, Britain’s William Fox-Pitt set the standard with a 37.5 aboard Chilli Morning. German riders were in the next two positions: Michael Jung on Fischerrocana FST (40.7) and Ingrid Klimke on FRH Escada JS (41.2). Dutton stood in sixth individually, and Buck Davidson held eleventh aboard Ballynoe Castle RM with 48.7. Sinead Halpin, riding as an individual, scored 50.8 with Manoir de Carneville.
Dutton expressed his gratitude to Boyd and Silva Martin and the syndicate for lending him Trading Aces (aka “Oscar”), who he rode at Rolex 2014 and has continued to compete the past several months. Asked by another member of the media if he has been coaching Martin during his time with Oscar, Dutton laughed and said, “Nah, he doesn’t need much coaching.”
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
The big talk among riders was, of course, tomorrow’s track. The rugged course presents 35 jumping efforts, including four water complexes. Typical of designer Pierre Michelet’s courses, there are several long galloping stretches, and the course is punctuated with skinnies, corners and angles. However, there are also a number of rather inviting “rest” fences between the major challenges. All in all, riders all seem to agree that it’s a fair course, but one that surely won’t be forgiving of mistakes. The bottom line, as everyone is saying, is that this is a true 4* course.
After his dressage test, Sam Watson of the Irish Team spent some time talking with me about the course. He had already walked it twice and was preparing to go do so again. In his opinion, this is the kind of course you can’t look at enough to grasp its magnitude.
He offered this overview of the course: “What first springs to mind is that we look at the course designer. Pierre Michelet is renowned for his combinations and his technicality and his angles and corners. He’s really stamped that on this course. You can see it – it’s all about the combinations. I think that where he’s been kind, and it’s really paid off now that we’ve had this rain, is that there are some genuine ‘let up’ fences in between.
“It’s not like your typical course. I did Kentucky four years ago, and that was just really big all the way around. This has some smaller fences, but the combinations, some of them are beasts! And the quantity of them – there are at least 12 fences that are really, really tough.”
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