PHOTO GALLERY

Karen Morris

Karen with Suited & Booted, Bath & West Show 2007 (her dad is on the back)

Profile

  • Age: 41
  • Favourite Horse: Very hard question as there have been so many for different reasons! Probably Tommy, my Young Riders show-jumper who taught me a lot about being patient and determined! One of my scurry ponies “Rats” is a close second.
  • Greatest Moment: There are a couple… winning the show-jumping regional final on an Arab who then made it to Grade B; secondly, qualifying for HOYS in my first year of scurry driving.
  • Words of Wisdom: Put the ground work in and persevere
  • Star Sign: Aries (fiery!)
  • Essential Piece of Kit: Standing Martingale and a collection of different bits in case of emergency! Oh and wine
  • Aim for 2009: To win the Points Championship and the National Championships with Suited and Booted
  • Hero or Heroine: Geoff Billington – Apart from being a great rider, he called me over to join everyone at a show once because he did not want me sitting on my own, which I thought was really sweet. A very nice person.

Biography

I had my first pony Rocky when I was eleven but he broke my leg three weeks after we bought him by running into a car. My stubbornness and determination then began to show as I was still riding him in a plaster and still falling off every day (not recommended!!). I went to work in a show-jumping yard when I left school and very quickly learnt how to stay on and how to ride properly!

I worked for various show-jumpers and then went on to have my own yard. I had horses from Novice to Grade A and travelled around the country competing - something that I loved and thought I would do forever. I then had problems with bones after breaking too many and was told to give up riding. I sold everything (very reluctantly) and got a "normal job".

A friend then got me into private driving but within a few years I was bored of the showing politics so took up scurrying! This now feels much more like my jump-offs in show-jumping and I absolutely love it! I have some fantastic ponies and qualified for HOYS in my first year as a novice and then went on to qualify two other pairs the year after. I broke in my palomino ponies (Suited & Booted) and they have been amazing although not the easiest. They won the Points Championship in 2007 and although I had some brake problems early in the season, they were still 5th in the 2008 Championship. They had the fastest time in the Nationals this year by 3 seconds and unluckily clipped one of the last cones.

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