Las Vegas—April 18
When Katie Laurie trotted into the ring on the Thoroughbred-cross Kiwi Iron Mark for Saturday night’s $75,000 Canadian Pacific Grand Prix of Las Vegas, she was riding for more than just a win—she had a very special friend on her mind.
“Melanie Purcell used to ride him, and she was diagnosed with cancer when he was a 6-year-old,” Laurie said. “She asked me to ride him while she was sick, and she died when he turned a 7-year-old. The rest of their family is here, so it was a great ride for them.
“I think we’re the happiest people today,” the New Zealand rider continued, smiling. “And I think I had a little bit of help from Melanie as well.”
Purcell dreamt of taking the horse to North America to compete, but she never got the chance. Now, three years after her death, Laurie exceeded her friend’s goal by pulling out a win.
She had a great start with 11-year-old “Mark” on the first day of the Longines FEI World Cup Final, pulling just one rail in the speed round. Things went less auspiciously in Friday’s grand prix-format round, and Laurie ended up retiring after struggling through the triple combination.
“I probably underestimated yesterday’s course a little bit,” Laurie said. “So I came in today a lot more confident and riding a lot more confident, and he jumped well.”
Well is a modest way to put it—in the three-horse jump-off, Laurie out-rode two speedy Americans, Todd Minikus and Alec Lawler, showing off Mark’s impressive scope slicing an oxer and turning tight back to another.
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Mark’s performance in the class was certainly impressive, but Laurie said her fellow riders may have been put off by his antics outside the ring.
“I think he terrifies everyone here in the warm-up because he’s like leaping and bounding,” Laurie said with a smile. “He’s badly behaved.”
Laurie takes Mark’s misbehaviors in stride, chalking them up to his precocious personality.
“He’s hilarious, he destroys everything, rips rugs,” Laurie said. “He’s a huge character.”
The top 25 show jumpers from Thursday and Friday’s rounds will return Sunday for the third and final round of the Longines FEI World Cup Final—check back for more coverage from Las Vegas!
See all the Chronicle’s coverage from the Longines FEI World Cup Show Jumping Final.
