Jersey Fresh marked with another death
Olympian loses mount to 'Saw Tooth Oxer' jump
BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer
For the third year in a row, tragedy marred the Jersey Fresh CCI Allentown held at the Horse Park of New Jersey in Upper Freehold.

ERIC SUCAR staff Spectators cringe at the sight of a rider being thrown off her horse during the Jersey Fresh competition at the Horse Park of New Jersey on May 9.

A horse died on the cross-country course during this year's show, which took place May 7-10. Phillip Dutton, an Australian who won Olympic gold medals in eventing at the 1996 and 2000 games and later went on to ride for the U.S. Olympic team in the 2008 games, lost his mount Bailey Wick at a fence called the "Saw Tooth Oxer" in the Jersey Fresh show.

Last year, Olympian David O'Connor's horse, Tigger Too, ridden by Lauren Kieffer, died at fence 28, the "Lighthouse." In 2007, Laine Asker's horse, Eight Saint James Place, died after crossing the finish line of the cross-country course.

Amy Munoz, of Downington, Pa., served as the jump judge at fence 23 this year and saw the fall. She watched Bailey Wick coming toward the fence and saw the horse "sucking back" while Dutton drove him forward. The horse's chest hit the fence and the horse rotated over the obstacle, she said.

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Top to bottom: Leslie Law rides Private Heart during the Jersey Fresh competition at the Horse Park of New Jersey on May 9. Chelan Kozak is aboard Tasman Sea.

This was Munoz's second year of volunteering at the Jersey Fresh show. She said she doesn't think she will do so again, although she has been a fan of eventing for many years.

Dutton, of West Grove, Pa., issued a statement about the incident.

"Bailey and I fell at fence 20, a straightforward oxer, after jumping," he said. "Until then, a foot-perfect round. I take full responsibility for this fall."

Dutton added his deepest sympathies and gratitude to the horse's owners, Jess and Sharon Sweely, who bred the 10-year-old chestnut Irish sport horse and raised him. He also thanked his groom, Emma Ford, "who meticulously looked after Bailey and treated him as if he were her own child."

The Jersey Fresh show, an international competition, featured riders from the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, Australia and Ecuador. Eventing consists of three phases — dressage, cross-country and show jumping.

A horse's gymnastic development is judged on precision, smoothness, suppleness and complete obedience.

The cross-country course, which is approximately four miles long, has 24-36 fixed and solid obstacles. The course is ridden at a gallop and tests stamina.

Show jumping takes place in an arena on the third day and consists of 12-15 showjumping obstacles. Jumping tests the horse's and rider's abilities to negotiate a variety of fences of different heights, widths and technicality.

Michael Pollard won the three-star CCI on the grey thoroughbred Icarus with a score of 46.4. The Georgia-based rider said he wanted to finish with a score under 50. He said he liked the footing for the show jumping competition in the upper ring. The competition had been held in previous years in the main ring.

"The main ring is small when the fences are a decent size," he said.

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Top to bottom: Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch rides Port Authority during the Jersey Fresh event at the Horse Park of New Jersey on May 9. Chelan Kozak rides Tasman Sea.

Icarus also won the Rerun award for highest-scoring former racehorse.

Millstone's Maggi Romano, president of the New Jersey Horse Council, presented the Young Rider award to Stephanie Rhodes-Bosch, who rode Port Authority.

Canadian rider Jessica Phoenix, aboard Exponential, came in fifth in the three-star CCI but won the best-conditioned horse award and received the sportsmanship award from her peers.