Equestrian is a horse-and-rider sport that comprises several disciplines and has been part of the Summer Olympics in some capacity since 1900. Today, there are three Olympic equestrian disciplines: jumping, eventing, and dressage. There are individual and team events in each of these disciplines. Jumping was part of the Olympic program in 1900, while eventing and dressage debuted at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm.
The United States ranks eighth in total dressage medals with 10 and only one American—Hiram Tuttle in 1932—has ever won an individual medal in dressage. It has had much more success in eventing and jumping, leading all nations with 25 and 19 medals in each. Below is a look at the last five Americans to win individual medals in Olympic equestrian events.
1. Phillip Dutton, Eventing (2016)
A three-time Olympic medalist who has competed in eight Olympics, Phillip Dutton has represented both the US and Australia. He was born in New South Wales, Australia, in 1963 and relocated to the US in 1991 to take advantage of better training resources and competition. He won a gold medal in team eventing for Australia at the Atlanta Games in 1996 and Sydney Games in 2000. Dutton became an American citizen in 2006 and represented the US at the 2008 Beijing Games, 2012 London Games, 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, and 2020 Tokyo Games.
Dutton achieved a career highlight at Rio de Janeiro in 2016 as he won the bronze medal in individual eventing riding Mighty Nice. France’s Astier Nicolas won the silver medal, while Germany’s Michael Jung successfully defended his gold medal. In addition to his Olympic success, Dutton was the No. 1 Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) World Eventing Rider in 2005 and was the United States Eventing Association (USEA) Leading Rider of the Year 13 times in 15 years from 1998 to 2012.
2. Gina Miles, Eventing (2008)
Riding Irish Sport Horse McKinlaigh, Gina Miles earned a silver medal in individual eventing at the 2008 Beijing Games. Germany’s Hinrich Romeike won the gold medal that year. Miles, a native of California, rode McKinlaigh for nearly a decade and had plenty of success with the gelding. They represented the US at the 2002 World Equestrian Games (WEG), finished third at the 2003 World Cup Final and won a gold and bronze medal at the 2008 Pan American Games.
3. Beezie Madden, Jumping (2008)
A four-time Olympic medalist, Beezie Madden won her only individual medal in jumping at the 2008 Beijing Games. Riding Dutch Warmblood gelding Authentic, Madden finished third in the competition behind Sweden’s Rolf-Göran Bengtsson and Canada’s Eric Lamaze. Madden won her first Olympic medal as part of the gold-medal-winning US jumping team at the 2004 Athens Games. She won gold again in the team event in 2008 and won a team silver in 2016.
Madden is one of the most accomplished show jumpers in US history. A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she was the first woman to earn more than $1 million for show jumping, became the first woman and first American to make the top three in the Show Jumping world-ranking list in 2004, and was the first woman to win the King George Gold Cup at Hickstead in 2014. She also won the FEI World Cup Finals in 2013 and has won multiple WEG medals.
4. Kimberly Severson, Eventing (2004)
Kimberly Severson won a pair of medals at the 2004 Athens Games. She was part of the US eventing team that won bronze and won the silver medal in individual eventing with English imported crossbred Winsome Andante. Great Britain’s Leslie Law won the gold medal. In addition to her Olympic achievements, Severson has represented the US at multiple WEG, is a three-time winner of the Kentucky CCI4* event, and she won the USEA Lady Rider of the Year in 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2005.
Also a successful coach, Severson mentored Nina Ligon, the top USEA young rider in 2010 and 2011 who competed in the 2012 London Games.
5. Chris Kappler, Jumping (2004)
The US led all countries with five equestrian medals at the 2004 Athens Games. Chris Kappler was part of the American team that won gold in the team jumping event and won silver in the individual event. Brazil’s Rodrigo Pessoa won gold in individual jumping. The US also won the bronze medal in the team dressage event in Athens.
A native of St. Charles, Illinois, Kappler has earned several other professional accolades throughout his career. For his accomplishments at the 2004 Athens Games, he was named Equestrian of the Year by the United States Equestrian Federation. He has also emerged triumphant from more than 100 Grand Prixs and won a gold and silver medal at the 2003 Pan American Games. He helped select the US team for the 2015 Pan American Games and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.