Davenport Center girl to compete in national horse show

Vicky Klukkert, The Daily Star, Oneonta, N.Y.
Updated ·2 min read

Oct. 7—Davenport Center resident Brinlee Wright will compete at the Grand National & World Championship Morgan Horse Show, set to begin Saturday, Oct. 8.

Brinlee, a ninth grade student at Charlotte Valley Central School, flew to Oklahoma City on Friday for the week-long competition. She will compete in two classes — hunt seat equitation and hunt seat pleasure, her trainer and aunt, Lindsay Atkinson said.

Atkinson, who owns Vintage Valley farm in Delhi, said during the equitation competition, judges will look at how Brinlee rides the horse and during the pleasure competition judges will judge how the horse looks while ridden.

"She's a very pretty rider," Atkinson said. "She pairs really well with her horse. They've won a lot of competitions together."

Brinlee said her horse's name is Sable until she enters the ring, then her name is Ultras Now and Forever. Sable is 20 years old, she said. Brinlee has been training with Sable for three years, Atkinson said.

"My favorite thing about showing horses is being around people I've known my whole life and riding with them," Brinlee said.

Brinlee said she's been riding horses since she was 2 years old. She said riding horses "is a lot of fun, and it's something I've been around my whole life."

Atkinson said when Brinlee first got on a horse she could tell her niece was going to be good at riding. "She was always pretty talented," she said.

Atkinson, who won two world titles, herself, when she was young, said being Brinlee's aunt allows her to "be harder on her," during training. She said they train "usually once or twice a week. She's in sports now, so we try to train at least once a week."

Brinlee said she plays soccer, basketball and softball.

"I'm very excited for her," Atkinson said.

Because her 14th birthday fell after the cut-off date, Brinlee will compete in the 13 and under category, her mom, Elizabeth Wright, said. Atkinson said she will compete against 16 other riders from around the country.

Vicky Klukkert, staff writer, can be reached at vklukkert@thedailystar.com or 607-441-7221.