Boyd's Thoughts on Rolex From the Sidelines

Boyd with Addison Sama at the Devoucoux Autograph Signing

I enjoyed the weekend at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event immensely. Of course it’s always good when your horse does well! I was thrilled with the way Oscar (Trading Aces) went, finishing 8th, and Phillip rode him brilliantly. I always knew Oscar could handle the distance of a four-star cross-country and, we went into it knowing the horse could have a good chance in the dressage and show jumping, but figured it could go either way since Phillip didn’t know the horse.

We put a huge amount of effort into his conditioning in preparing for this event. We worked out that he wasn’t sweating great, so we addressed that by putting him on medication and giving him a high alcohol-content beer in his morning feed, which really helps. We also spent thousands of dollars checking his heart and lungs and everything and figured he was perfectly healthy, so we focused on his fitness: swimming him, putting him up hills a lot and not protecting him too much. He was the only horse that made time at The Fork, which he won, and was third fastest around Red Hills, which he also won.

A huge thanks to Caitlin Silliman, who's been doing most of Oscar's flat training since I broke my leg in Southern Pines, and to working student Michael who's done all his gallops. They did a great job and Oscar wouldn't have made it to the victory gallop at Rolex Kentucky without their help. 

I was terrified about going to Kentucky and feeling miserable about not riding, but I must say I thoroughly enjoyed the weekend – not only because my horse went well, but I was pretty busy helping the girls get prepared and I spent a good bit of time catching up with sponsors. It’s very much a different experience riding and not riding. It was a lot less stressful going as a non-rider and I could enjoy myself a bit more in the evenings with the horse’s owners and supporters.

Unfortunately the three girls, Lillian and Caitlin and Erin didn’t have a perfect weekend; they all rode well but at this level it’s a tough game and I think they’ll all be stronger for their experiences. Congratulations to Lillian for getting around her very first Rolex!

Lastly a big thank-you to Phillip and to Oscar’s syndicate. The way this went down was in no one’s predictions. Phillip is a class-act for riding the horse at this short notice and he did a brilliant job. Oscar’s syndicate has been brilliant too, coming to the event to cheer them on.

Check out this heartwarming series of photos from EventingNation.com: 

http://eventingnation.com/home/phillip-boyd-cmp-trading-aces-adorable-finishline-lovefest/

As far as my own soundness, We’re at five weeks now on the broken leg and by six weeks the bone should be healed. I'm back to riding on the flat a bit, but haven’t had a jump yet. I’m still doing physio 3 or 4 times a week and it’s coming along. I’m taking it day at a time!

-Boyd

Trading Aces and Phillip Dutton Finish 8th Overall at 2014 Rolex Kentucky CCI4*

Show Jumping in the Rolex Stadium

Stay tuned for Boyd's recap...time to hit the road!

Trading Aces Passes Jog at Rolex Kentucky

Trading Aces passed the jog this morning at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Land Rover and will head into show jumping in 8th place overall. Good luck to Phillip and Oscar today!

Trading Aces Wins His Second Car of the Year!

Phillip and Oscar are currently in 7th place after cross-country at the 2014 Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event Presented by Land Rover. They jumped around clear and spot on the optimum time, winning the Land Rover Challenge for the top US rider closest to the optimum time, and claiming a two-year lease on a new Land Rover Evoque.

Phillip and Oscar on the perfect pace

Remember, Boyd and Oscar brought home a new Mercedes after winning the Red Hills CIC*** in Florida, so this is Oscar's second time winning a car this year!

Phillip Dutton and Trading Aces

 Land Rover Vice President for North America Kim McCullough quipped to Phillip, “Riding a horse named Trading Aces, I think you have to buy a lottery ticket right now!”

Phillip and Evie did a television spot accepting the keys to their swanky new ride.

  With rain earlier this week, and a gorgeous sunny day today at the Kentucky Horse Park, Phillip said, "Conditions were ideal and Oscar learned a lot today. I tried to ride him forward and aggressively and give him time to look at the jumps, and he got better and better."

 Last year Oscar "ran out of gas" on course and Boyd has been focusing on his strength and fitness since then. Phillip also said, "It’s been a year and he’s matured a lot and Boyd’s done a lot of get him fit; I think he goes up Nelson’s Hill every other day. All credit to everyone who works with him."

 Phillip is also currently ranked third on Mr. Medicott, of whom he said, "Mr. Medicott has been around the world and I just hung on and let him do his job." He said, "Both horses good jumpers so hopefully tomorrow they’ll go out and do their best." Good luck Phillip!

Photos copyright Amber Heintzberger and not to be copied or used without permission.

Video Interviews with Boyd and Phillip from Rolex Kentucky

Practical Horseman Video Interview with Boyd:
EventingNation Video Interview with Boyd:
HorseJunkies Interview with Boyd
Phillip Dutton Interview

Update on Silva's Recovery

I saw a neuro-ophtalmalogist recently because I can't keep my eyes open, and he was very positive; it’s such a rare injury they can’t really give me a time frame for how much time it’ll take, but if it’s not resolved after a year they can do surgery. But since I’ve recovered so quickly so far, they’re hoping it’ll just resolve itself.

I’m doing physio three times a week at Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital.  My sister Nina is here this week to help me – I can’t drive because of my eyes,  so that’s a big help. I don’t know how long I have to go to rehab, but I definitely have to keep going for the next couple of weeks. Nina is a speech therapist, so she’s helping me with that, and she’s helping me around the house. I’m doing well but I’m on a lot of medication and get tired quickly. 

It’s annoying that I’m still not back to normal, but I just have to take it slowly. I’m going to come back better than before !I wish I could just go out and ride, but I can’t do that!

I do go out to the barn and spend time with the horses every day. The girls are keeping the horses going and I can see what they’re doing, so for being sick it’s a good situation – I can still organize what each horse does what everyday. I can’t work yet, but it’s good that I can go out and keep an eye on things and be involved.

-Silva

Silva's Thoughts on Oscar's Rolex Dressage Test

Phillip Dutton and Trading Aces are in 8th place on 52.5 after the first day of dressage at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. [Leader Board]. Silva is home in PA and watched the test on live streaming. Here are her thoughts: 

It was kind of a last-minute thing and we’re very thankful that Phillip is riding Oscar at Rolex; it’s a big ask and unbelievable that he’d take it on – Boyd was hoping to ride Oscar himself, but obviously didn’t get to because of his leg.

David O’Connor helped Phillip on the flat over the last week and I went to watch and it went really well. Phillip hasn’t ridden the horse that much and obviously doesn’t know him as well as his other horses, and Oscar gets a bit tense in the ring. I don’t think Phillip knew to expect that today; Boyd said he wasn’t tense at all in the warm-up, so it caught Phillip by surprise.

To just jump on and do the test on a horse he doesn’t know is amazing! I can’t imagine jumping on a horse I don’t know and doing a test like that! 

Oscar got tense in the walk and the marks went down there, but the flying changes can be hard on that horse, and they went well. The canter was good; Oscar can be a bit grouchy in the canter and Phillip did a great job with that. Looking at the overall scores they did all right! 

Links: 

http://www.kentucky.com/2014/04/23/3209359/rolex-kentucky-three-day-event.html

http://phillipdutton.com/2014/stepping-in-to-ride-trading-aces-at-rolex/

http://www.chronofhorse.com/article/boyd-martin-withdraws-rolex-kentucky-cci