Phillip Dutton to Compete in Great Charity Challenge Tonight + Live Stream

Riders wear costumes for the Great Charity Challenge, which awards funds to local Palm Beach County charities. Photo by Meg Bank/PBIEC.

Phillip Dutton will jump under the lights tonight at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center in Wellington, Florida, as part of the Great Charity Challenge, riding on a team with his daughter, Olivia Dutton, and longtime owner and supporter, Caroline Moran.

The Great Charity Challenge (GCC) started in 2010 as a way for the equestrian world to give back to the local community in Wellington. Top riders from around the world wear costumes and jump in a relay competition to benefit local Palm Beach County charities. To date, the GCC has distributed $10.8 million to more than 200 charities.

GCC teams consist of two junior/amateur riders and one Olympic or world-class rider. This year 29 teams will compete in the GCC. Each team is randomly paired with a charity that serves Palm Beach County. The winning team will receive $150,000 for their charity, and every charity will win a guaranteed minimum of $15,000.

Kent Farrington riding in the 2016 Great Charity Challenge. Photo by Meg Bank/PBIEC.

Phillip’s team is paired with the Elder Affairs Program of the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Palm Beach. The program promotes dignity for the elderly, providing comprehensive guardianship and case management services for the economically disadvantaged and those without adequate community support.

Phillip is riding Z, a 10-year-old Zangersheide, owned by Thomas Tierney, Simon Roosevelt, Suzanne Lacy, Annie Jones and Caroline Moran. Olivia is riding the Mr. Medicott Syndicate’s Mr. Medicott, a 19-year-old Irish Sport Horse and the reigning USEF National CCI4* Champion. Caroline is riding her own Jackson, a 12-year-old Belgian Warmblood.

The GCC has a different theme each year, and the teams of riders don costumes accordingly. This year’s GCC theme is “Hollywood,” and tonight we will see riders dressing up as characters from classic films. (Spoiler alert: Phillip’s team will be Singin’ in the Rain.)

GCC also holds random drawings and awards grants to other deserving charities not paired with teams, with more than $1.5 million set to be awarded in all for 2018. Click here to view the full list of charities and donations since the GCC began in 2010.

Horseware Ireland founder Tom MacGuinness in at 2016 GCC. Photo by Meg Bank/PBIEC.

You can watch the GCC live stream starting at 6:30 p.m. EST tonight at this link. The GCC is a blast to watch, so we strongly encourage all EN readers to tune in and enjoy an evening of show jumping for a good cause.

Click here to view the order of go and charities paired with each team. Phillip’s team goes second to last in the order. Each team will jump one round, with the top teams returning for a jump off to determine the final standings. Good luck to all competing in the GCC!

If you are local to the area, general admission and parking are free for the GCC at 13500 Southshore Blvd., Wellington, FL 33414. The evening will also feature on-site dining options, carousel, petting zoo and plenty of activities for the whole family. Click here for more information on the GCC.

Phillip and Olivia are in Wellington for the next two weeks to train with Richard Picken in show jumping and Scott Hassler in dressage. Phillip has Fernhill Cubalawn, I’m Sew Ready, Fernhill Revelation and Z in Florida. Scroll down for a video of Z jumping yesterday in a 1.20 meter class at the Palm Beach Masters at Deeridge Farms.