Phillip Dutton, Headed To Seventh Games, Highlights U.S. Eventing Team

Phillip Dutton atop Fernhill Singapore competes during the Stadium Jumping Phase of the Land Rover Kentucky Three-Day Event at the Kentucky Horse Park on April 25, 2021 in Lexington, Kentucky. 

Phillip Dutton competed in five Olympic Games before securing his first individual medal in Rio in 2016, and this summer he’ll look to add another.


The veteran highlights the U.S. Olympic eventing team roster announced on Thursday by US Equestrian. Considered the sport’s all-around competition, eventing is a three-day contest consisting of dressage, jumping and cross-country.
Dutton, who made his Olympic debut in 1996 representing Australia, will be competing in his seventh Olympic Games and fourth for Team USA. The 57-year-old from West Grove, Pennsylvania, will be riding Z, a 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding owned by Thomas Tierney, Ann Jones, Caroline Moran, Simon Roosevelt and Suzanne Lacy.

In addition to his Olympic individual bronze medal in 2016, riding Mighty Nice, Dutton previously won two gold medals with the Australian team in 1996 and 2000. 
The record for the most Olympic appearances is 10, held by Canadian equestrian athlete Ian Millar.

Boyd Martin will be the second-most senior member of the team, having competed in both 2012 and 2016. He finished 16th in Rio. In 2019, Martin helped lead the eventing team to the gold medal at the Pan American Games, thereby qualifying the U.S. for a team and three individual spots spot in Tokyo. Martin also won the individual gold medal in eventing. In Tokyo he will be riding Luke 140, a 10-year-old Holsteiner gelding owned by The Luke 140 Syndicate.
Liz Halliday-Sharp will be making her Olympic debut. The former professional racecar driver, who specialized in endurance motor sports while also riding horses, will be riding Deniro Z, a 13-year-old KWPN gelding owned by Ocala Horse Properties.
Doug Payne, who was also a member of the U.S. team that earned Olympic qualification at the Pan Am Games, was named as a traveling reserve member along with Vandiver, a 17-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Debbie Crowley and Payne and his wife, Jessica.

The first direct reserve is Tsetserleg TSF, a 14-year-old Trakehner gelding owned by Christine Turner, Thomas Turner and Tommie Turner, and the second is On Cue, a 15-year-old Selle Francais mare owned by the same three Turners plus Martin.
The alternates are, in order, Tamra Smith and Mai Baum, Will Faudree and Mama’s Magic Way, Will Coleman and Off The Record, Sydney Elliott and QC Diamantaire, Bruce Davidson Jr. and Carlevo, and Lauren Nicholson and Vermiculus.