Press release from Thunderbird Show Park

The youngest rider in the field led the victory lap in the CSI3* Uryadi’s Village Cup 1.50m Friday at Thunderbird Show Park, as 19-year-old Brooke Morin (USA) earned her first international victory with NKH Carrido.

The young rider bested a five-horse jump-off set by Anderson Lima (BRA), crossing the timers nearly two seconds best. The winning mark was 40.68 seconds. First to return for the short course, Jeffrey Fields (USA) and Sherlina Ale finished second (42.17 seconds), with Uma O’Neill (NZL) and Clockwise of Greenhill Z third (43.04).

Morin’s plan was simple: Commit to winning. “My plan was definitely to go for it, to go as fast as I [could] and to take the best turns I could to make my time better,” she said.

And if she needed any encouragement, she had the crowd’s backing. Her team chanted from the ingate at every opportunity to maintain her forward momentum. “The crowd was very loud. I like that,” Morin said. “It definitely helped me, and it made [NKH Carrido] a little more excited I think also.”

Morin has been partnered with the 12-year-old Danish Warmblood stallion for the past two years and is finding her partnership at its strongest after jumping their first five-star 1.50m class this summer in Calgary. That’s made commuting between Langley, where trainer Kyle King (USA) is based, and her California home, easier. “I feel super confident. That definitely helps, for sure,” she said. “I would say, the key for doing these big classes and wanting to win is being confident.”

The CSI3* Uryadi’s Village Cup offered the Jump For Uryadi’s Village initiative, in which individuals could pledge a dollar amount, and every time the Uryadi’s Village jump was cleared, that amount was donated to Uryadi’s Village, a permaculture-based village in Ethiopia for orphaned children. The cause is spearheaded by Jennifer Crooks and named after Crooks’ former top mount, Uryadi. More than $40,000 was rasied Friday at tbird for the organization. To learn more, visit UryadisVillage.org.