-
1/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, prepares Quasi Cool before a training session at his farm, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
2/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, rides Fernhill Mystery during a dressage training session at his farm, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. Despite the Tokyo Olympics being postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Dutton continues to prepare. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
3/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, walks through the barn at his farm before a training session, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. Dutton won two team gold medals in eventing, in 1996 and 2000, while competing for Australia, and added an individual bronze medal in 2016 while competing for the U.S. Dutton had qualified for his seventh Summer Olympics when the International Olympic Committee and Japanese organizers announced recently that the games would be postponed until 2021.(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
4/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, prepares Fernhill Revolution before a training session at his farm, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
5/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, climbs onto Fernhill Mystery before a training session at his farm, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
6/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, rides Quasi Cool during a training session at his farm, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
7/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, rides Fernhill Singapore through a series of jumps while training at his farm, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
8/18
Fernhill Singapore, ridden by Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, leaps through a series of jumps during a training session, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
9/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, smiles after a training session at his farm, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
10/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, gallops Fernhill Mystery during a training session at his farm, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. Social distancing doesn't have much direct influence on the farm's daily routine, but it does effectively end the upcoming competition season and it has restricted specialty coaching. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
-
11/18
Horse tack hangs on the barn wall at True Prospect Farm, the farm of Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
12/18
Lincoln's Address, waits in the barn before a training session with Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
13/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, rides Quasi Cool through a jump during a training session at his farm, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
14/18
A sign points the way to True Prospect Farm, the farm of Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
15/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, gallops Quasi Cool during a training session at his farm, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. Dutton had qualified for his seventh Summer Olympics when the International Olympic Committee and Japanese organizers announced recently that the games would be postponed until 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
16/18
A cowlick pattern is seen on the neck of Lincoln's Address before a training session with Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
17/18
Joey, the dog, watches from the barn as Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, prepares Quasi Cool before a training session at his farm, Tuesday, March 31, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
-
18/18
Phillip Dutton, a medal-winning equestrian on the U.S. Olympic team, rides Z, through a series of jumps while training at his farm, Thursday, April 2, 2020, in West Grove, Pa. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
WEST GROVE, Pa. (AP) — Despite the Tokyo Olympics being postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, medal-winning equestrian Phillip Dutton continues to prepare at his farm in West Grove, Pennsylvania.
Dutton, a six-time Olympian in eventing, exercises almost daily with horses at the farm in the rolling hills of Chester County, about 50 miles west of Philadelphia.
The farm employs eight workers and houses about 35 horses in various stages of training. Dutton, 56, usually works them six days a week with sessions that include dressage, show-jumping and cross-country, the foundations of eventing.
“I’m just trying to work on stuff — go over what each horse’s weakness is and work on that. Same with me,” Dutton said.
Social distancing doesn’t have much direct influence on the farm’s daily routine, but it does effectively end the upcoming competition season and it has restricted specialty coaching.
“The difficult part is you can’t bring instructors in,” Dutton said. “We have specialized coaches that come and help, which we’re obviously restricted there.”
Dutton won two team gold medals in eventing, in 1996 and 2000, while competing for Australia. He added an individual bronze medal in 2016 while competing for the U.S. Dutton had qualified for his seventh Summer Olympics when the International Olympic Committee and Japanese organizers announced recently that the games would be postponed until 2021.
Full Coverage Photography
Despite the almost yearlong delay, Dutton continues “trying to get in a groove, trying to get better, trying to get the horses better,” he said. “Because like in anything in sport, if you just stay the same, you are actually going backward, because everybody else is getting better.”
