the land rover u.s. eventing team for the 2010 alltech fei...
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The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 1
The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
The following horse/rider combinations have been named to the The Land
Rover/ U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games.
The eventing competition at the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games will take place September 30–October 3, 2010.
Photo Credit: Mike McNally
2 The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Buck DavidsonTeam MemberBorn: February 11, 1976 Residence: Ocala, FLBallyNoe Castle RM – 10-year-old Irish Thorough-bred gelding owned by Carl and Cassandra Segal
The Davidson name is legendary in the eventing world
and Buck has focused on following in the footsteps
of his father Bruce, an Olympic medalist and veteran.
Though much of his younger years were devoted pri-
marily to baseball, a sports related injury changed his
focus. Always a rider, Davidson began his career as a fox
hunter and timber racer.
Davidson has an impressive history as a young rider. He
has won the Markham Trophy as the highest placing
Young Rider in a USET Championship three times, and
was the 1996 Young Rider of the Year. In his four star
debut in 1998, he placed sixth at the Rolex Kentucky
Three-Day Event aboard Trans Am A Flirt. The two fol-
lowing years with Pajama Game, the Morgan-cross that
many felt wouldn’t compete on an international level,
he placed tenth and then fourth in the Rolex Kentucky
Three-Day Event. Also in 1999, he and Pajama Game
were part of the US team at the Pan American Games.
In 2003, Davidson placed third in the USET Three Star
Spring Championship and fourth overall in the Foxhall
Cup CCI3*. At the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event in
2005, Davidson was 11th and 13th with Let It Rain and
Private Treaty, two horses known for their sensitive
nature. At that year’s Jersey Fresh Hyperlite provided
Davidson with his very first CCI3* victory.
Since importing BallyNoe Castle RM (or Reggie as he
is called - after fellow super jock Reggie Miller) as a
young horse, Davidson has always maintained that he
Photo Credit: Mike McNally
The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 3
is all class. In 2008, Davidson’s faith in the horse was
rewarded with an immaculate performance at the CCI3*
at Jersey Fresh where they were second.
In 2009 Davidson had his most successful season to
date, winning horse trials at every level and collecting a
number of strong finishes at three-days. With My Boy
Bobby, Davidson won the CIC3* at both The Fork and
Wits End. In the spring of 2009, this pair were third at
the CCI4* in Kentucky, as well as the top placed Ameri-
cans.
Not to be outdone by his stablemate, BallyNoe Castle
RM also collected a number of good results in 2009.
Reggie collected ribbons up and down the East coast at
horse trials in the spring. He capped off the first half of
the season with a top 15 finish in his first CCI4* at The
Rolex Kentucky Three-day Event. He followed up this
good result with a pair of second place CIC3* finishes
at Maui Jim and Wits End. In September, Davidson and
Reggie traveled to the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials
CCI4* where they were once again in the top fifteen.
2010 is again proving to be a successful year for David-
son. With My Boy Bobby, Davidson replicated his win
from 2009 in the CIC3* at The Fork Horse Trials and
placed second in the CIC3*-W at The Event at Rebecca
Farm. BallyNoe Castle RM collected wins at the ad-
vanced level at Rocking Horse Winter II Horse Trials and
Millbrook Horse Trials. With the talented Thoroughbred
gelding, Titanium, Davidson finished second in the ad-
vanced division at The Fork. Three weeks later, this pair
completed the horse’s first CCI4* at the Rolex Kentucky
Three-Day Event presented by Bridgestone in 16th place.
4 The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Phillip DuttonTeam MemberBorn: September 13, 1963 Residence: West Grove, PAWoodburn - 14-year-old NZ Thoroughbred geld-ing owned by Ann Jones, Mardie Faucette and Acorn Hill Farm
TruLuck – 13-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Ann Jones and Rebecca Broussard *Substitute
Phillip Dutton represented Australia in three Olympics
and four World Championships before acquiring US
citizenship in 2006. A native of Australia, Dutton has
been based in Pennsylvania since 1991 and lives there
with his wife, Evie, her daughter, Lee Lee and their twin
girls, Mary and Olivia. Dutton won Team Gold medals at
the 1996 and 2000 Olympics with True Blue Girdwood
and House Doctor, respectively, and was fifth individu-
ally in the 2002 FEI World Equestrian Games with House
Doctor. He also represented Australia at the Athens
Olympics in 2004.
Dutton brought True Blue Girdwood with him from
Australia as a relatively inexperienced horse. Dutton
credits “Jug” with teaching him how to ride and getting
him onto the world stage. Dutton has been runner-up
at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event six times, was
second, fourth and fifth in 2005 and was also second at
Burghley CCI4* with The Foreman in 2005. The Fore-
man was back with a vengeance in 2007 winning the Fair
Hill International CCI3* for the second time (he also won
in 2004).
With Connaught, he represented Australia at the 2006
FEI World Equestrian Games as an individual after plac-
ing fourth at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event earlier
that year. The pair returned to Kentucky in 2007 where
they were second and the highest placed American
combination. They went one better in 2008, and Dut-
ton finally broke his streak – winning his first CCI4* with
a fantastic clear show jumping round. Connaught went
on the represent the US at the 2008 Olympic Games in
Hong Kong.
Dutton and Truluck represented the US in 2007 at the
Pan American Games and were Individual Silver medalist
and members of the Gold medal winning team. He began
riding Woodburn in 2007, and the pair has been very
successful over the duration of their partnership. They
were third in the Fair Hill International CCI3* (the horse’s
first attempt at the level) in October and went on to be
tenth at Woodburn’s first four-star at Kentucky in 2008.
2009 was another extremely successful year for Dutton.
Woodburn completed the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day
Event for a second time placing twelfth. Additionally, the
horse had a pair of third place CIC3* finishes over the
summer at Wits End and Richland Park, as well as claim-
ing second place the USEA American Eventing Cham-
pionships. Connaught finished seventh at the Rolex
Kentucky Three-Day Event in April and Truluck finished
the Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials CCI4* in fourth
Photo Credit: Kit Houghton
The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 5
Phillip and Evie run a very busy training and teaching
business at True Prospect Farm, and Dutton’s list of
students is a “Who’s Who” of the stars of the sport. He
considers his biggest accomplishment that he is able to
make a living doing what he enjoys. When he’s not com-
peting or traveling Dutton spends time with his family
and enjoys all sports.
place in September. Dutton wound up the 2009 season
with a fourth place finish on Kheops Du Quesnay at the
Fair Hill CCI3*.
At the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented
by Bridgestone, Dutton claimed his third USEF CCI4*
National Championship on Woodburn. The pair finished
the event in second place. Dutton was also sixth on The
Foreman.
Later in 2010, Dutton won the CIC3* at Jersey Fresh and
was third in the CIC3*-W at The Event at Rebecca Farm
with Truluck.
Dutton admits that although he has never braided a
horse, he can put shoes on one. Having grown up on a
farm in Nygan, New South Wales, he was responsible for
all aspects of his horses’ care. His introduction to horses
came through Pony Club and riding on the farm as a
child.
Photo Credit: Mike McNally
6 The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Boyd MartinTeam MemberBorn: August 20, 1979 Residence: West Grove, PANeville Bardos – 11-year-old Australian Thorough-bred gelding owned by Windurra USA, LLC
Remington XXV – 14-year-old Hanoverian gelding owned by Henley House Stables *Substitute
Australian native Boyd Martin relocated to the US in
2007 to pursue his dreams of international eventing
competition. In 2009, Martin rode under the Ameri-
can flag for the first time.
Martin was extremely successful in Australia, where he
won the 2003 Adelaide CCI4* riding True Blue Toozac.
He spent his first two years in the US working as as-
sistant trainer to Olympic Gold medalist Phillip Dutton
before striking out on his own. Martin has several horses
competing at the upper levels of the sport, and always
has numerous young horses coming up the ranks.
Martin’s competitive successes since moving to the US
include placing second with Ying Yang Yo and fourth
with Neville Bardos overall at the 2007 Fair Hill CCI3*
and winning the 2008 Bromont CCI2* in Canada. Neville
Bardos was also ninth at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day
Event CCI4* in 2008.
Martin has quickly made his mark on American eventing:
in 2008 he was ranked number two on the US Eventing
Association Rider of the Year Leaderboard, an impres-
sive feat in only his second year living and competing in
the US.
2009 was a very successful year with Martin’s first CCI3*
win at Fair Hill in the fall with Neville Bardos. Martin was
Photo Credit: Mike McNally
The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 7
also sixth with Remington XXV in the CCI3* at Fair Hill.
Other successes in 2009 include winning and placing
fourth in the CIC3* at Jersey Fresh with Belmont and
Rock on Rose respectively. In the CCI3* at Jersey, Martin
and Remington XXV were once again in the top ten.
At the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented
by Bridgestone, Martin and Neville Bardos finished in
fourth place. Martin also had two other horses in the top
twelve Rock on Rose (eleventh) and Remington XXV
(twelfth).
Martin is married to German Grand Prix Dressage rider
Silva Martin. The Martins run a coaching and training
business in West Grove, PA.
Photo Credit: Shannon Brinkman
8 The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Kim SeversonTeam MemberBorn: August 22, 1973 Residence: Scottsville, VATipperary Liadhnan 13-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Friends of Kim Severson Syndi-cate
Kim Severson has won the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day
Event CCI4* in Lexington, KY, an impressive three times:
in 2002, 2004 and 2005, all with her trusty mount,
Winsome Adante. In 2004, she and “Dan” not only were
members of the US Olympic Bronze medal-winning
team, but the pair also earned an Individual Silver medal.
Severson earned her first medal in a World Champi-
onship in September 2002 when she helped the US
earn the Team Gold medal at the FEI World Equestrian
Games in Jerez, Spain.
Prior to her partnership with Dan, Severson began her
climb to success with Over The Limit. In 1999, the duo
was in the winner’s circle in Lexington having won the
USET Three-Star Spring Championship.
Also in 1999, Severson was awarded a USET grant to
compete Over The Limit at the Blenheim CCI3* and
placed second. Two years later, in September 2001, she
won the Blenheim CCI3* on Winsome Adante. Earlier
that year, she rode him to the Reserve Championship in
the USET Three-Star Spring Championship at the MBNA
Foxhall Cup. She and Over The Limit placed fourth
(behind Olympic medalists Blyth Tait, David and Karen
O’Connor) in the 2000 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event
CCI4* presented by Bayer, and was third at the very
prestigious Badminton CCI4* in 2007 aboard Winsome
Adante.
Severson is uncovering a new star in the giant Tipper-
ary Liadhnan. ‘Paddy’ as he is known to his friends, is a
different type of horse for Severson but she has found
success with him very quickly. He was second in the
CIC3* at the Fork and fifth at the CCI3* at Jersey Fresh
in 2007 but missed a fall three-day after Severson broke
her collarbone. Paddy continued to jump around big
tracks with ease in 2008, picking up good finishes in
the Advanced at Southern Pines and in the CIC3*-W at
the Fork. They capped off their 2008 spring season by
finishing fifth at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event
CCI4* in April. In 2010, Kim and Paddy were fourth in
the CCI3* at Bromont.
Photo Credit: Mike McNally
The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 9
Becky HolderIndividualBorn: April 24, 1969 Residence: Palmetto, GACourageous Comet – 14-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Tom and Becky Holder
Becky Holder and Courageous Comet have been pa-
tiently waiting for their time to shine. The former
stakes-placed race horse has evolved into a world class
event horse. The pair had their best finish to date in
2008 finishing second at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day
Event CCI4* in April. In the summer of 2008 Holder and
Courageous Comet were selected to represent the US
at the Olympic Games in Hong Kong.
At the 2010 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event presented
by Bridgestone, Holder and Courageous Comet picked
up a third place finish.
Courageous Comet won two CIC3*s in 2007 – picking
up victories at Maui Jim Horse Trials and Richland Park.
In 2008, the pair continued their winning ways – taking
home Advanced honors at the Southern Pines Horse Tri-
als in March, where Holder also won a division of Inter-
mediate with Rejuvenate.
A good performance at Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event
in 2006 scored the pair a trip to England to train for the
FEI World Equestrian Games. They didn’t make the trip
to Aachen, but proved their mettle by jumping immacu-
lately around their first Burghley CCI4* together finish-
ing fifteenth.
Holder has been involved with horses her entire life and
spent 11 years as a whipper-in for the Fort Leavanworth
Hunt in Kansas. She first rose onto the US team stage
with Highland Hogan during the push to the 2000 Syd-
ney Olympics. The pair was sixth at Fair Hill International
in 1999 and then they put in a stellar performance at the
Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event (their first four-star,
they were eleventh) that spring and found themselves as
the traveling reserves for the Olympics.
A graduate B pony clubber, Holder runs a busy teaching
business outside of Atlanta, Georgia and enjoys spend-
ing time with her husband Tom, going to the theater and
gardening.
Photo Credit: Mike McNally
10 The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Karen O’ConnorIndividualBorn: February 17, 1958 Residence: The Plains, VAMandiba – 11-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Joan Goswell
Karen O’Connor (along with her husband, 2000 Olympic
Gold medalist David – with whom she shares two Olym-
pic team medals) has been an instrumental part of the
US team since the late 1980s. O’Connor has a storied
career finding success on four different continents.
O’Connor’s first major placing came at the Badmin-
ton CCI4* on March Brown in 1979. She then won the
Boekelo CCI3* on The Optimist in 1984 and the Ches-
terland CCI3* on Castlewellan in 1985. Her first team
appearance was in 1986 on Lutin V at the Gawler World
Championships in Australia. She has won CCI3*s at
Punchestown, Foxhall, Rolex Kentucky and twice at
Fair Hill International. With Prince Panache, she won
the Rolex Kentucky CCI4* in 1999. She was a member
of the 1988 Olympic team, a Team Silver medalist at
the 1996 Olympics, and a Team Bronze medalist at the
2000 Olympics. She was part of the World Champion-
ship squad in 1994 and 1998, picking up a Team Bronze
medal in 1998. She also rode Upstage as an individual in
2006 in Aachen.
O’Connor continued writing history when she picked up
Team and Individual Gold medals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
at the 2007 Pan American Games. O’Connor was also
the Individual Silver medalist from the 2003 Pan Ameri-
can Games.
Mandiba began tasting success as a five-year-old when
he and O’Connor won at the 2005 USEA American
Eventing Championships. In 2006 they won the Florida
International CCI1*, the Virginia Horse Trials, and went
back to the USEA Championships where they finished
with top honors for the second year in a row. Mandiba
continued to put in solid performances in the 2007
season and started off 2008 with a win at the Rock-
ing Horse Winter Horse Trials. O’Connor and Mandiba
finished off their 2008 season by representing the US in
Hong Kong at O’Connor’s fourth Olympic Games.
Mandiba was once again able to find top placings in
2009. O’Connor and Mandiba were third at the CIC2* at
Stuart Horse Trials in July and won a division of Ad-
vanced at Millbrook Horse Trials a few weeks later. They
finished their season at the Fair Hill CCI3* in Elkton, MD
jumping to a second place finish.
In 2010, O’Connor and Mandiba blazed to a seventh
place finish in the CCI4* at the Rolex Kentucky Three-
Day Event Presented by Bridgestone. In July, the pair
won the CIC3*-W at The Event at Rebecca Farm.
O’Connor is involved in the sport at every level; she
serves on the USEF Board of Directors, is very active in
the United States Eventing Association (USEA) Instruc-
tor Certification Program and teaches riders of all ages.
When she’s not riding or doing horse related activi-
ties, O’Connor spends time with her family and her dogs.
Photo Credit: Mike McNally
The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 11
Allison SpringerSubstituteBorn: October 17, 1974 Residence: Marshall, VAArthur – 11-year-old Irish Sport Horse gelding owned by Allison, Carolyn and William Springer
Allison Springer got her start in eventing growing up
in the Midwest. She produced three horses to the
advanced level and then found a serious superstar in
Arthur. The talented horse was eighth in his very first
CCI3* at the age of eight in the spring of 2007. High-
lights from 2008 include a second place finish at the
Maui Jim CIC3* and third place finishes in the CIC3* at
the Red Hills Horse Trials in March and in the advanced
at Pine Top two weeks earlier. The pair also finished
in the top 15 in their first CCI4* at the Rolex Kentucky
Three-Day Event.
In 2009, Arthur once again completed the Rolex Ken-
tucky Three-Day Event in the spring and the CCI3* at
Blenheim in the fall.
In the spring of 2010, Arthur and Springer were second
in the CIC3* at the Fork. They went on to complete the
Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Bridges-
tone for a third consecutive year.
Arthur was also third in the advanced division at the
American Eventing Championships in 2007. He was
fourth at the CCI2* at the Virginia Horse Center and was
the Reserve Champion at the preliminary level at the
American Eventing Championships − both in 2006.
In 2000 Springer was sixth at Fair Hill International
CCI3* with Tenacity and also rode a colorful Paint horse,
Presto and Bonfire at the advanced level.
Springer runs a busy sales and training business in Mar-
shall, VA and travels to Aiken, SC in the winter.
Photo Credit: Mike McNally
12 The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Amy TryonSubstituteBorn: February 24, 1970 Residence: Duvall, WALeyland – 10-year-old Thoroughbred gelding owned by Elisabeth Nicholson
Amy Tryon has been a staple on American eventing
teams for ten years. With the bold jumping Poggio II,
Tryon was a force on the championship scene, begin-
ning at the 1999 Pan American Games (where they were
fourth). In 2002, they were on the US team that won the
Gold medal at the FEI World Equestrian Games in Jerez,
Spain. At their first Olympic Games, in 2004, they were
part of the Bronze medal winning effort in Athens where
they were sixth individually.
2006 was another banner year for Tryon. She and Pog-
gio II led the US Team’s effort at the FEI World Eques-
trian Games picking up the Individual Bronze medal. Two
weeks later, she was fifth at the Blenheim CCI3* with Le
Samurai. For these accomplishments added to her fifth
place finish at the Kentucky CCI4* with Woodstock and
three other major wins, she was named the US Eventing
Association’s Lady Rider of the Year for 2006.
2008 was also a very important year for Tryon. She
represented the US for a second time at the Olympic
Games in Hong Kong with Poggio II, in what was the
horse’s final competition.
With the retirement of Poggio II, two of Tryon’s younger
horses stepped into the forefront. Both Leyland and
Coal Creek won at the three-star level on their first at-
tempts. Leyland won the CCI3* at Jersey Fresh and Coal
Creek won the USEF Fall National CCI3* Championship
at Fair Hill.
Leyland again showed his potential in 2009 stepping up
to the four-star level. In April, Tryon and Leyland were
13th at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. In Sep-
tember, the pair scored another top fifteen finish at the
Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials in England.
Tryon spent the majority of her professional career as a
firefighter. She retired as a firefighter (summer of 2006)
to focus solely on riding. Tryon and her husband, Greg,
also a firefighter, reside in Redmond, WA with a house
full of dogs: Mango, Razzle and Jasmine
Photo Credit: Stockimageservices.com
The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 13
Captain Mark PhillipsChef d’EquipeBorn: September 22, 1948 Residence: Gloucestershire, EnglandWith Captain Phillips as Chef d’Equipe and technical
advisor for eventing since March 1993, the US eventing
team has won events such as Punchestown, Burghley,
Badminton and the British Horse Championships. Under
his leadership, the team has experienced consistent suc-
cesses including an impressive number of medals over
the past 12 years including the FEI World Equestrian
Games in 1994, 1998 and in 2002 when the US took
Team Gold; the 1995, 1999, and the 2003 Pan American
Games where the US won Team and Individual Gold – a
feat the team repeated in 2007 when the riders swept
the individual medals. Captain Phillips has also guided
US teams at three Olympic Games: 1996 (Team Silver
and Individual Bronze), 2000 (Individual Gold and Team
Bronze), 2004 (Individual Silver and Team Bronze),
2008 (Individual Silver).
As a rider, Captain Phillips had a remarkable career, win-
ning a Team Olympic Gold medal in 1972 and Gold med-
als at World and European championships, as well as
four Badmintons and one Burghley. Riding for Britain, he
won the Team Silver medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
He is married to former Olympic dressage rider Sandy
Phillips.
Photo Credit: USEF Archives
14 The Land Rover U.S. Eventing Team for the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Sara IkeTeam LeaderBorn: February 22, 1977 Residence: Oldwick, NJSara Ike began riding at the age of four. Her first pony,
Taffy, was a 10-hand Shetland who lived in grazing reins
while under saddle. Ike has childhood memories of
playing in Bruce Davidson’s Volvo box truck with Buck
and Nancy Davidson at numerous horse trials while
their parents went neck-and neck on the field of play.
A Pony Clubber, Ike competed in eventing, local jumper
shows and fox hunted in the winters. She also earned
her Bronze medal in vaulting in 1988. A 1999 graduate
of Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY, she stud-
ied geology which allowed her to spend time outdoors.
Although Ike didn’t ride on Skidmore’s intercollegiate
team, she found her niche working with young and
“problem” horses in the program.
Ike started working for the Federation in 2003, and
served as the Team Leader in 2004 at the Vaulting
World Championships in Austria. She was named Di-
rector of Vaulting Activities in January 2005. In March
2007, she became the High Performance Director of
Eventing and served as Team Leader for the medal
sweep (Team Gold and all three individual medals) at the
2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ike
also served as Team Leader at the 2008 Olympic Games
in Hong Kong. Horses are in her blood. She credits her
mother with exposing her to many aspects of the horse
industry–across the disciplines, from the short stirrup
rider to the Olympic athlete.
Photo Credit: USEF Archives