Bromont, Quebec - June 8, 2003 - Phillip Dutton of Australia won the CCI** Bromont International Three Day Event, held June 5-8 in Bromont, QC, for the third year in a row.

Sitting in eleventh position following the opening phase of dressage, the two-time Olympic team gold medallist climbed his way to the top with The Foreman to claim the championship title for the third consecutive year. Dutton and the eight-year-old American thoroughbred gelding were the only horse-rider combination to jump the cross-country course, designed by Great Britain’s Michael Tucker, without incurring time penalties to catapult into the lead. Another flawless performance in the final phase of stadium jumping allowed them to finish the three-day event on their dressage score of 59 penalty points.

Of the 40 entries, only 21 competitors successfully completed the three-day event, a testament to the true international challenge that the Bromont International Three Day Event offers.

“My horse has had some good results at this level, but I always think with my horses that if they can jump around Bromont, they are ready to move up to the next level,” said Dutton who is based in Pennsylvania.

Coached by Dutton, 21-year-old Will Faudree of Midland, Texas, proved an able student. The 21-year-old guided his eight-year-old grey Irish gelding, Trustworthy, to a second place finish with a final score of 66.40 penalty points.

After winning the CCI** Bromont Three Day Event in 2000, two-time Canadian Olympian Stuart Black of Orangeville, ON, finished third this year with Sailing, a nine-year-old Irish thoroughbred stallion. In ninth position following dressage, Black, who is now based in Bluemont, VA, incurred only time faults on cross-country and one rail in the stadium phase to move up into third position.

Fellow Canadian James Atkinson of Mountain Road, MB, was the winner of the CIC** division. Riding Above The Clouds for owner Dr. Lorna Lee, Atkinson and the 10-year-old grey gelding defeated 19 other entries for top honours. Atkinson’s final score of 62.20 penalty points gave him the easy win over Virginia’s Skyler Icke who posted a score of 90.20 riding Dillinger.

In the CCI* division, Liza Horan of Unionville, PA, defeated two Canadian entries – Michelle Mueller and Curtis Barbour, respectively, to win with My Boy Bobby. However, a Canadian came out on top in the CCIY* Junior/Young Rider category. Competing in her first three day event, 15-year-old Hilary Popiel of Carleton Place, ON, rode Snow Boots, a 16-year-old Canadian thoroughbred gelding, to top honours.

Another Canadian young rider showed the veterans the way to victory in the Preliminary Horse Trials division. Waylon Roberts of Port Perry, ON, bested 16 other competitors riding the eight-year-old black thoroughbred gelding, Paleface, owned by his mother, Canadian Olympian Kelly Plitz. The fact that Roberts posted a clear stadium jumping round comes as no surprise as the 14-year-old has also represented Canada in international show jumping competition.

The CCI** Bromont International Three Day Event is dedicated in memory of aspiring Quebec rider, Todd Sandler, who died tragically in a car accident on April 26, 1999. Named to the 1999 Talent Squad, a means of recognizing potential future members of the Canadian Eventing Team, Sandler was one of Canada’s up-and-coming stars.

CCI** Bromont Three Day Event – Final Results