Phillip Dutton, who’s been the U.S. Eventing Association’s leading rider for the last six years, is the winner of this year’s Adequan/USEA Gold Cup Series. Dutton, the Australian who lives in West Grove, Pa., was the Gold Cup Series runner-up ion 2004.
The series awards points to riders any time they place in the designated events, regardless of the number of horses they’re riding. Dutton finished first (with The Foreman), third (with Connaught) and sixth (with Nova Top) in the CIC***-W at the Red Hills Horse Trials (Fla.) in March, and in August he won the advanced division at Millbrook (N.Y.) on Hannigan, while also placing third on Amazing Odyssey. Dutton scored 1,630 points.
For his performances, Dutton will get a check for $6,000 and an Amerigo saddle at the USEA convention in Charlotte, N.C., on Dec. 1-4.
Bonnie Mosser, of Coatesville, Pa., finished second, scoring 780 points. She rode Jenga to seventh at Red Hills, third at Millbrook, and first at Poplar Place (Ga.). She’ll get a $3,000 gift certificate from Bit of Britain saddlery.
Two Californians topped the Gold Cup’s intermediate awards. Debbie Rosen, of Calabasas, rode Quito 10 to second at the Galway Downs CIC** (Calif.) and first in intermediate at Woodside (Calif.), then sealed the victory with a sixth-placed finish on Phillipa in the Twin Rivers CIC** (Calif.), for a total of 430 points.
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Rosen will get $4,000 in prize money and an Amerigo saddle.
Second, with 355 points, was Tiana Coudray, 17, of Ojai. Coudray rode King Street to victory in the Galway Downs CIC** and second at Twin Rivers. She’ll get a $2,000 Bit of Britain gift certificate.
In 2006, the system for calculating the points will change. Instead of being based solely on the rider, horse/rider combinations will receive points to determine the standings.
The 2006 Gold Cup calendar includes 12 advanced or intermediate events in six USEA areas. They are: Red Hills (Fla.), March 10-12; Southern Pines (N.C.), March 17-19; The Fork Stables (N.C.), April 6-7; Cosequin Stuart (N.Y.), July 20-23; Millbrook (N.Y.), Aug. 11-13; Poplar Place (Ga.), Sept. 8-10; Maui Jim (Ill.), July 7-9; Richland Park (Mich.), Aug. 25-27; Galway Downs (Calif.), March 31-April 2; The Event at Rebecca Farm (Mont.), July 21-23; Woodside (Calif.), Aug. 11-12; Twin Rivers (Calif.), Sept. 29-Oct 1.
