Twisting Cross-Country Proves Decisive As Dutton Wins Bruce’s Field Showcase – The Chronicle of the Horse
A twisting, high-pressure cross-country track reshuffled the leaderboard on Saturday in the $100,000 LiftMaster Grand-Prix Eventing Showcase at Bruce’s Field (South Carolina). Phillip Dutton and Denim rose to the challenge of Jay Hambly’s refreshed cross-country track Saturday, making the rider the eighth champion of the event.
Just two pairs managed the cross-country course within the optimum time of 4:36: Dutton and Denim (Dinken—Celia II, Ibisco XX), as well as Australia’s Sophia Hill with former racehorse, Humble Glory. Dutton stopped the clock at 4:33 and, with only time penalties from Friday’s show jumping, finished on a 30.3. After overnight leader Caroline Pamukcu picked up an early runout with HSH Connor, Dutton’s victory was sealed.
“I’m excited for the horse,” Dutton said of the 11-year-old Holsteiner gelding, owned by Ann Lapides, Caroline Moran, Ann Jones and Neill Sites. “Overall, I’m really pleased with the horse. Going fast is not his forte. He’s a great jumper, but we have been working on being able to save time on the approach to the jumps. He was just really on today; he didn’t have a bad fence. It’s not a long course, but it’s pretty hectic out there, and for every stride he was sort of trying to do what I wanted him to do.”
Dutton spoke of his special connection to Aiken and Bruce’s Field, a tie that runs through both longtime owner Annie Jones and the late Bruce Duchossois. Dutton first came to Aiken because of Jones, who wintered there with her polo horses, making Denim’s victory particularly meaningful to share with her on site. It also carried added sentiment in honor of Duchossois—a close friend and the owner of Dutton’s Olympic mount Mighty Nice—whose vision helped bring Bruce’s Field to life.
