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After two days of dressage, Dutton looked within striking distance. He stood fourth with The Foreman, ten points behind decisive dressage winner Severson who guided the handsome black Australian Thoroughbred nicknamed "Vennie" to a 36.8. Their performance was especially moving for Severson, as she had nearly lost this horse a year ago--he suffered three colic incidences requiring surgery, and at times his survival looked grim. "This test felt fantastic," she said with a smile. "Like having an old friend back.
Dutton had won the first day of dressage with the sometimes-troubled Connaught, who stood an eventual 7th going into cross-country day. He was also 35th with Amazing Odyssey. Amy Tryon and the veteran My Beau stood second, Buck Davidson was third with his French-bred Idalgo, and Corrine Ashton and Dobbin rounded out the top five. Maryland was plagued with wild weather throughout the weekend, so it was expected that the footing would be an issue on cross-country day. This would also mark the first time that Fair Hill would be running the so-called short or modified format of the CCI--instead of the traditional four phases, there would only be a phase D or a cross-country phase. Dutton was the first to go on Connaught, and they retired after difficulties at the influential fence 25--the Wayne's Wall's coffin complex. Dutton has had problems with the horse before, and on a hunch, asked that he be immediately scoped when he came off the course. It was discovered the horse was suffering from a trapped epiglottis, a problem which was sapping him of his wind and fitness. The horse will undergo surgery, and Dutton hopes this will allow him to fulfill all the promise he's shown. It soon became apparent that the cross-country day was going to determine final placings as several veteran pairs came to grief on the course, and most competitors racked up double-digit time penalties. Last year's winner Karen O'Connor and Grand Slam had a glance off at the narrow out of the second water, while Ashton retired on course with multiple stops. Early on, young rider Mary Grantham and Ides of March managed to come home with only 3.6 time penalties, and she took a lead that would stand for much of the day--she would end up fifth at the end of the day. Davidson withdrew the youngster Idalgo, sighting concerns about swelling on the horse's leg, and the deep and holding footing on the course. As the horse is only an eight-year-old, Davidson elected to save him for the future.
Dutton was second last out of the start box, and had already guided his second horse Amazing Odyssey to a clean jumping round with 2.8 time penalties. He came roaring out of the start on the ex-racehorse The Foreman, and never took his foot of the gas pedal. The horse jumped bravely and brilliantly to come home as the only double-clean round of the day, and move into second after cross-country. "The secret to making the time is having a good horse," said the laconic Dutton with a smile. "He's an economical galloper, and I knew he was fit, so I set out fast. This is his third three-star and he's pretty comfortable at this level, and I kept him on the best footing I could find on the galloping lanes." Only 2.2 penalties separated Severson and Dutton going into show jumping, but that pair had two rails in hand over Black, and the other riders. Early on it was clear that a good jumping horse was required to jump the show jumping course cleanly. Though rails were spread around, fence 11, a vertical set on turn seemed to be coming down with the slightest of touches. Laine Ashker and Eight St. James Place were the first pair in the top ten to leave all the rails up, which would move them in to 6th. Dutton would go clean with Amazing Odyssey, as would Tryon and Black , who rattled a few of them hard, but came home clean. Grantham, after her brilliant ride the day before, would have an unfortunate 4 rails to fall to 11th. Dutton cantered in on The Foreman with a look of determination on his face, and put in a decisive double-clear round to throw the gauntlet to Severson. Royal Venture seemed to be floating off the ground, and looked on his way to the victory, when one fence from home, at the bogey at number 11, the rail inexplicably fell. Dutton would get his third Fair Hill victory, while Severson would take the red ribbon for second. Black would be third, Tryon 4th,and Dutton would bookend the top five with Amazing Odyssey, who would move up 30 places from dressage to take 5th. "I was quite pleased to jump a clean round," said Dutton. "He was tired, I had to push him pretty hard [yesterday]. I'm very pleased. Sometimes he gets excited in atmosphere, and gets difficult to ride, but today he was the best he's ever been. "I walked the course with [student] Stuart [Black]," he joked. "Then he jumped clean and I wished I hadn't. "I thought Kim was unlucky to have that rail, watching her horse jump the first few I said, 'well, it's good to be second,'" he said with a smile. "I'm totally thrilled," said a beaming Severson. "If you look at the horse's history and realize he was almost dead a year ago, I wouldn't have cared if he pulled every rail today. He's still just amazing." The Foreman was found by racehorse trainer Bruce Fenwick, who was racing him at the Charles Town racetrack, but felt the horse was suited for something more. He contacted Dutton, who liked the horse, and in turn talked Jones into purchasing him. "This is very rewarding to me, as I've had the horse sine he was a three-year-old and brought him along totally myself," he said. "We've gone through all the race horse stuff together." Though his performance was clearly strong, The Foreman can still be nervous and fractious, and a history of laying down in awards ceremonies meant that Dutton accepted his trophies while leading the horse. Owner Jones has owned many racehorses, and has stood in the winner's circle many times. She also owns Dutton's other mount Cayman Went, who nearly won here in 2001, when a rail in show jumping dropped them to second. "Any win is a win," said a beaming Jones. "But this is very different than racing. This horse gave everything he possibly had. I'm very proud of him. "I usually take my horses home after they race and work with them myself, foxhunt them a little, and do other things, but not this horse. He's volatile and has a panic button, and he didn't trust easilyÑhe's a little ADD. He and I didn't have any chemistry, but luckily he and Phillip do," she said. "I'm just lucky [Annie] had so much faith in us, because he's not been the easiest at times," said Dutton with a smile. "With every win I like him better and better. He's gotten much more handsome to me in the last year," finished Jones with a laugh.
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