Phillip Dutton Eventing

The idea began in 2012. We first met Phillip Dutton at a meet-and-greet for Cosequin, where my husband, Graham, and Phillip shared... Read More

This week’s episode, brought to you by Cosequin Equine, is with renowned international eventer, Phillip Dutton. Originally from Australia, Dutton grew up competing at Pony... Read More

Icabad Crane made headlines in 2014 when he won the Retired Racehorse Project Thoroughbred Makeover’s Most Wanted Thoroughbred title. The bay gelding (Jump Start—Adorahy,... Read More

A broken buzzer, surprise music, and tight time allowed made for an exciting finale to the inaugural Morven Park Fall International CCI4*-L,... Read More

Phillip Dutton and Quasi Cool added only 3.2 time faults to their dressage score of 25.7 to claim the CCI4*-S title at... Read More

With cross-country running in reverse order of placing for the top 10 it made for an exciting finale to the 2021 MARS... Read More

Although the Tokyo Games will mark his seventh time participating in the Olympics, equestrian Phillip Dutton, the oldest athlete on Team USA, says competing in 2021 is no less of a thrill than it was the first time 25 years ago. "It's very unique and special to have our whole country cheering for us,” the 57-year-old tells AARP. America's oldest athlete was actually born in Australia and grew up with horses on his family's sheep and wheat farm. He spent most of his upbringing competing at pony rallies and horse trials. Then, in 1991, he moved to the U.S. to train. Five years later, at the age of 32, he participated in his first Olympics.

We’ve entered a golden age for graying athletes. Tom Brady, for example, just won his seventh Super Bowl. He’s 43. In May, Phil Mickelson, 50, became the oldest golfer to ever win a major championship. So does America’s oldest Olympian at the Tokyo Games, 57-year-old equestrian rider Phillip Dutton, feel extra pressure to match the age-defying performances that have recently been sweeping sports? Dutton laughs at the question. “Um, yeah,” says Dutton. “I’ll be doing my best to deliver.”

Phillip Dutton, a 57-year-old equestrian going to his seventh Olympics, is set to become the oldest U.S. Olympian since 2008. Dutton, who took individual eventing bronze in Rio to become the oldest U.S. Olympic medalist since 1952, was named as part of the three-rider eventing team for Tokyo on Thursday, along with reserves. Dutton won team gold for Australia in 1996 and 2000 before switching to represent the U.S. starting with the 2008 Beijing Games. He was born in Australia and moved to the U.S. in 1991.

At the Carolina International Horse Trials, I spoke with accomplished Olympic gold-medalist Phillip Dutton about the upcoming Kentucky Three-Day Event. Dutton shared about his two CCI5*-L mounts—Z, a 13-year-old Zangersheide gelding and Fernhill Singapore, a 12-year-old KWPN gelding. He expressed his hopes for the two at the Kentucky and gave insight into some of his training techniques, his horses' healthcare routines, and how he prepares for big competitions like Kentucky.