SpectraVET Performance of the Week: Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready

Check out all three phases from Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready, who won last weekend’s Carolina International CIC3*.

Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready. Photo by Jenni Autry via Eventing Nation.

When it comes to eventing, I typically defer to my fellow HN writers who live and breathe the sport and can rattle off statistics and names off the tops of their heads. I am, I confess, more of an armchair fan of eventing: I watch replays of the big events’ cross-country courses for the thrills of the big jumps and the clearly-visible enthusiasm of horses and riders, and sometimes I’ll catch a few stadium rounds.

So watching all three performances in dressage, cross-country and stadium by Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready from last week’s Cloud 11-Gavilan North Carolina International may have been the first time I can remember actually sitting down and watching an entire event (at least for one horse and rider pairing). For me, it drove home the point that even though these horses look like they just like to gallop around and jump enormous things, they’re really, really well-schooled, and all three phases work together to create a horse that should be adjustable, soft and willing, as well as gutsy and full of heart.

Phillip and “Jackson” started off with a strong dressage test, taking the lead right away:

The sun came out for cross-country, in which Jackson came alive–I’m not sure I would have immediately recognized the horse had I not known who I was looking at. Phillip, being the experienced, masterful professional that he is, handled the horse and the course beautifully, despite a scary moment at about 1:31.

Maintaining their lead, Phillip Dutton and I’m Sew Ready headed into the stadium round over a course that had already proven to be tricky for other teams. While watching this round, it struck me yet again just how different all three phases really are, yet how well they work in concert to show the well-roundedness and athleticism of both horse and rider.

Phillip Dutton will continue to pilot I’m Sew Ready while the gelding’s regular rider Kristen Bond takes a maternity break; the gelding is owned by John and Kristie Norton. They’re working towards a hopeful nomination for the United States Pan-American Games eventing team. Best of luck to Phillip, Jackson and his connections!

A big thanks to USEF Network for these videos and their livestream coverage of the event. For more scenes from Cloud 11-Gavilan North Carolina International, check out HN’s sister site Eventing Nation. Leslie Threlkeld and Jenni Autry were on the site from start to finish capturing all the action.

Go riding!

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