MILLSTREET, Ireland--Olivia Dutton on Jewelent jumped a brilliant clean jumping round with only .4 time faults in the final phase of the Eventing U25 World Championships to win the bronze medal on a score of 48.2.

Olivia Dutton on JewelentWith three riders in the top six, the U.S. would have won the team gold medal, but unfortunately two of those three were riding as individuals, so the U.S. as a team actually finished fifth and last after two team riders were eliminated on cross country.

Great Britain won the team gold on 149.7, Germany won silver on 168.6, and Ireland won bronze on 180.6.

The U.S. threesome of Dutton, Molly Duda and Jack Curtis finished on a combined score of 146.6 and would have been the gold medalists if they had been the team.

Meg Pellegrini on Dondante was 13th overall on a final score of 56.9, so the U.S.had three in the top aeven and four in the top 15.

Dutton, who was 12th going into the final phase, moved steadily up the  leaderbord as nine of the 11 in front of her had rail after rail down.

Dutton  was one of only six clean jumping rounds of the 30 who had survived the cross country and morning jog to compete.

 

"IN THE show jumping, it proved to be a pretty tough course," said Dutton. "Jewelent has his own way of jumping, but he got it done. It was amazing, watching the leaderboard and seeing how I just kept moving up,"

istsIndividual Gold Medalist Calvin Böckmann of Germany; Silver Medalist Cerys Macaulay of Great Britain and Bronze Medalist Olivia Dutton.Mollly Duda on Disco Traveler, with just four faults, moved up from eighth to finish fourth on 49.2, and Jack Curtis on Luska Candy Clover, clean in jumping, moved up from 14th to finish tied with Duda on 49.2, but was placed sixth due to a tie-breaking slower cross country time.

Calvin Bockman of Germany on Altair de la Cense won the gold medal with a clean jumping round to finish on 40.0, and Cerys Macauley of Great Britain on Kananaski won the silver medal after a clean jumping round with.8 time faults to finish on 45.3.

"I only had dreams of doing that well, but realistically I never expected it," said Dutton. "There were so many good riders competing. I was hoping but not expecting to do well."

"The cross country proved to be very influential." she said. "It was a great track with a couple of tough combinations. I tried to be smart about how I rode it. I was riding for the team, so first I just wanted to get around."

Team  riders Cassie Sanger on Fernhill Zero and Quidley Kellerman on Blakeneys Cruise both fell at a very wide table and were eliminated.

"It was a big bummer about the team, but I'm very happy for Molly and Jack," said Dutton. "They both rode so well. I think it's really hard for the selectors to pick a team, and I really feel bad for Cassie and Quidley." 

"It feels unreal to be on the podium,” said Dutton. “It’s been a dream come true coming here. I am so grateful to Jewelent’s owners for letting me ride him. He is an unbelievable horse and he tries so hard. Our cross-country effort felt amazing and to jump clear around that tough jumping course was the icing on the cake. I couldn’t be happier and thankful to the team and everyone supporting us, especially my parents and my sister. It’s a huge team effort and for us to produce this kind of result makes the hard work worth it.”

"I'm going to give Jewelent a bit of a break now," she said. "The goal is to do a 5* on him next year. I'll be working on dressage with Brett Parberry, an Australian, and  of course also my Dad, who is my trainer."

Dutton also has some young horses that she's working with.

"I have a lovely 7-year-old, Dresden, that I think will be really good. He's a stronger ride that Jewelent, so I'm just getting used to him. And I have some other younger horses, too."

The championship brought together 40 riders from 14 nations for the first global title at the Under 25 level.

Böckmann arrived in Millstreet as the FEI Eventing U25 world number one and one of the pre-championship favorites and  produced a clear round in jumping to win the gold medal.

The title crowned a remarkable 10 year partnership that has taken horse and rider from the Junior ranks to senior championship level.

“I honestly don't think I've ever had so much fun at a championship. We are very lucky to have this new competition and this venue at Millstreet. The gap between Young Riders and seniors can be big and you can get lost,” Böckmann said.

“I don't normally get nervous but I did feel the pressure. The cross-country was tough and quite different to anything we have seen in central Europe, but it will prepare us well for the future. My horse showed that she fights and wants to do her best; she grows 10cm. For her to have this result means the world to me.”

In the team competition, Great Britain suffered a major setback before competition resumed on Sunday morning when overnight individual leader Alice Casburn on Topspin was withdrawn ahead of the final horse inspection.

Despite losing the combination that had headed the standings after Cross-Country, the British squad responded with consistent performances to secure team gold on 149.7 penalties.

“He was very angry not to be jumping this morning, but I felt he wasn't 100%. It was very hard but my team mates have been brilliant and he will now have a happy retirement,” Casburn said.