Phillip Dutton Scores An Individual Bronze Medal in Eventing For The USA
Michelle Drum
I had the incredible opportunity to monitor Eventing Nations play by play on their website while at work today. Some days it's good to be a tack junkie working as the nerd in the tack shop! What an incredible play by play from Eventing Nation!
The US was bumped from the team medal podium yesterday after some unfortunate events on an incredibly tough cross country course. The demanding course required a combination of immense skill, stamina, courage and strength. This is one event where none of the riders would be able to play it safe and finish on their dressage scores.
After Cross Country Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice were clutching on to 4th place, just off the podium. Going into stadium the job was clear, the team could only risk dropping one rail to maintain their position. Refreshing my screen every 30 seconds ( because that always makes a 3 minute trip go faster right? ) it was clear they had mastered the task, leaving all the rails up but one! Just off the podium. For those not familiar with evening, it works similar to an Big Eq finals or a Derby handy round, those furthest from winning come back first, those closest to the top places come in the ring last. Talk about pressure, when your at the top and they call your number, you know EXACTLY what's at stake!
Even with though Phillip and Mighty Nice had one rail down in his second stadium trip of the day managing to hold on to fourth place. With 3 trips left to go and 3 medals to be decided the hopes to for the USA to get on the podium were getting slim. But STILL there was a chance it could happen!Just as Chris and Santano II of Austrailia went into the ring, the Eventing Nation website crashed. NOOOOOO - perhaps a sign the nerd should get back to work? NEVER!!
You can imagine my disappointment. I think the whole warehouse heard the groan of angst from my office. I had 3 screens open and began madly refreshing each one like a crazy person. Finally it came back up! Still just in case, refreshing my other screen as a spare. I hate to see anyone have a bad trip, especially so when a medal is just seconds within your grasp! Just as the screen finished loading it showed that Chris and Santano II had 2 rails in stadium, 2 rails that they didn't have to spare! Narrowly bumped from the podium to be replaced by our own Phillip Dutton!
Squeeeee!!! My groans of angst turned to squeals of joy as I came to the realization that Phillip Dutton and Mighty Nice had squeaked on to the podium with a bronze! Go TEAM USA!!! It's not over, till it's over! Well done!!
Photo Credit: Ariat International