Public Invited to "Olympic Journey," a Gala Event Celebrating the Road to Hong Kong Featuring Olympian Phillip Dutton
RELEASE: October 7, 2008
AUTHOR/ADMINISTRATOR: By Beth Ann Parise
Four-time Olympian Phillip Dutton, Olympic Nutritionist Dr. Joe Pagan and United States Olympic Team Veterinarian Dr. Brendan Furlong will share their nutritional insights and equine competition experiences from Hong Kong at a feature presentation “The Olympic Story” at the United States Equestrian Team Foundation at 1040 Pottersville Road on Wednesday, October 22, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Located at historic Hamilton Farm, home of the United States Equestrian Team, the event is presented by Somerset Feed & Grain. The evening will commence with an hors d'oeuvres reception and a photo session with Dutton and his Olympic mount and Rolex winner Connaught from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Attendees will receive an autographed photo of themselves with this Olympic champion and his horse.
“I am looking forward to people coming out to meet Connaught and to share in our experience of competing in the Olympics,” said Dutton, a two-time Olympic Team Gold medalist. “This is also a great chance for people to learn about the latest advancements for sport horses from these experts. I know they helped my horse compete in peak condition a world away in Hong Kong, and I'm sure what they have to say can help others.”
After the photo session and a brief introduction by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), Furlong will start the evening's program with a discussion of “Managing Veterinary Care for the Olympic Athlete.” After a break he will be followed by Dutton, who will share his Olympic experience and discuss “The Pennfield Advantage for Olympic Mounts.” The evening's lecture will conclude with Pagan, President of Kentucky Equine Research (KER) and world-renowned Olympic nutritionist, who will deliver his presentation “Feed Formulation: Pennfield at the Olympics.” Pagan will discuss what went into creating the feeds to specifically meet the nutritional demands of mounts during the Olympic Games.
“What we gained through our latest research is not only helping prepare the world's top equine athletes face the rigors of the highest levels of international competition, but it lends us an advantageous understanding of what can help every class of horse gain a nutritional advantage,” Pagan said.
The evening will be filled with these experts’ unprecedented insights regarding what horses and riders faced leading up to the Games. They'll take the audience on a journey from their training and traveling in the United States to their quarantine in England, to competing in the intense heat and humidity in China.
“Pennfield is delighted to partner with KER and the USEF to bring Phillip's phenomenal story and his heroic horse to meet New Jersey horse enthusiasts of every age and discipline,” said Jeff Katelan, National Sales and Marketing Manager for Pennfield. “Whether you are riding the next Olympic champion, or pleasure riding around your neighborhood, here's a chance to be inspired by those at the top of their sport.”
In the coming months, Pennfield, KER and the USEF will host a series of additional nutritional lectures, USEF fundraisers and programs to educate equine enthusiasts from different riding disciplines by giving them opportunities to meet, learn, and even train with top athletes in the sport.
“Pennfield feeds are of the highest quality and many of our Olympic equine athletes like Connaught were fed these fantastic products, which helped them achieve their potential and adapt to strenuous conditions throughout the Games. What's exciting is that this is available for every horse,” said Jim Wolf, Executive Director of Sports Programming at the United States Equestrian Federation. “The USEF is excited to be a part of this event and hopes to have a closer relationship with Pennfield and KER and partner with them on more projects in the future.”
The program is free, but seating is limited. Those interested in attending the event should contact Beth Ann Parise at