Brandon Special Olympics equestrian Dutiel wins 3 gold medals
Today in Mississippi, there is a new three-time Special Olympic World Games gold medalist.
Equestrian competitor Kyle Dutiel, who won a gold medal in equitation on Wednesday, followed up his strong performance on Thursday and Friday by taking home the gold in the other two equestrian events: dressage and working trails.
"Kyle had taken a long hiatus from equestrian sports, and then worked week in and week out for nearly a year to win three gold medals," said Special Olympics Mississippi CEO and President Tony Bahou. "That proves that when you put your mind to something and put the work in, you can achieve anything."
Special Olympics Mississippi will welcome their athletes home on Monday at 3:25 p.m. at the Jackson-Evers International Airport. Also competing this year were Taylor Rosenthal and his father and unified partner, Bill Rosenthal, who will be bringing home a silver medal in golf.
""The sheer determination of Taylor and Bill to get better with each round of golf to bring home the silver medal is what Special Olympics embodies," said Bahou.
Dutiel previously brought home a bronze medal in 1999 at World Games in Raleigh, N.C., and a silver and bronze in 2003 at World Games in Dublin, Ireland. But this was his big year.
"The World Games was an experience that our families and athletes will remember for a lifetime," Bahou said.
The equitation event encompasses a rider's ability to ride a horse correctly and with effective aids. Dressage requires a rider to guide a horse through a series of complex maneuvers by slight movements of the rider's hands, legs, and weight. The riders must work with horses that are not own personal horses.
"I want to thank my coach, Camie Crowe, for getting me ready to win the gold!” said Dutiel on Wednesday.
Crowe, a world and reserve world champion in both the American Paint Horse Association and the Pinto Horse Association of America, has worked with Dutiel for several months to prepare him to compete in three equestrian events, including training on multiple horses and courses.
Diagnosed as developmentally delayed and with a learning disability, Kyle Dutiel attended Magnolia Speech School, Dogwood School, Northwest Rankin and Brandon High School, said Linda Dutiel, a retired school teacher. He lives independently from his parents and works as a housekeeper at Hudspeth Regional Center, she said.
More than 7,000 athletes from around the world are competing in the Special Olympics World Games this week, an event that occurs once every four years.