Katy, TX – March 30, 2025 – Maddee Morley and Champions Legue capped off a banner week at the 79th annual Pin Oak Charity Horse Show with victory in the $30,000 WA Farm Grand Prix on Saturday, March 29. The grand prix win impressively marked the pair’s third blue ribbon out of three starts during Pin Oak Week 1 at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX.
“I seriously don’t have words…I am tearing up just thinking about how great of a week it has been,” said Morley. “My horse has been so incredible, and if you had told me that this was how this week was going to go, I would have laughed in your face. It’s truly just been a fairy tale of a week.”
After topping both Wednesday’s $10,000 Irish Day Farm 1.40m Welcome Stake and Thursday’s $25,000 Wentz Family Foundation Grand Prix, Morley returned to the Main Indoor Ring with her sights set on another victory. On the way to her fairy tale finale, she was one of five entries to jump clear over the Oscar Soberon-designed course.
From there, Morley had the possible disadvantage of being the first to return for the short course, but the 27-year-old knew what she needed to do.
“I was told to make them chase me,” said Morley, who trains with October Hill Farm. “[I wanted] just a nice double clear, not going super insane. After jump one, there was maybe an inside turn back…I opted to go around just because that inside turn seemed a little too severe, especially kind of getting to that next fence. Then, I just wanted to be tidy in the corners and let [Champions Legue] jump the best that he can and just try and set him up. As I’ve said before, I’ve been really trying to trust his open stride and the one less in a lot of the lines. He was just so with me tonight for the leave outs in a lot of those lines.”
With her well-executed leave outs, Morley set the time to beat at a clear 36.187 seconds. That time ultimately held up through to the end of the class, with no other riders coming within two seconds of Morley and Champions Legue. Finishing in second place with a clear time of 38.345 seconds were Daniel Bedoya and Heritage MBF, owned by NRG Farm LLC. Third place went to another NRG Farm LLC-owned horse, Casamigos, ridden by Diego Bedoya. For full results of the class, click here.
“I just really want to thank everyone at October Hill, my family, everyone who’s really gotten me to this point,” said Morley, who has been partnered with her 12-year-old Westphalian gelding, Champions Legue, for roughly four years. “He is just the best. The best thing about him is he has such a big heart. He wants to do well. He wants to make it to the other side of the fence, and he’s just so careful that he’s going to try so hard every single jump. He wants to please.”
When Morley is not riding, she is busy working as a mental health therapist. As for Champions Legue, the gelding will now enjoy a lighter week before ramping up again toward Pin Oak Week 3’s $100,000 Hildebrand Family Grand Prix on Saturday, April 12.
To learn more about all competition at the 2025 Pin Oak Charity Horse Show, visit www.PinOak.org.
About the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show
Recognized as a US Equestrian Heritage Competition, the Pin Oak Charity Horse Show is one of the oldest and most prestigious horse shows in the United States. Today, the show features three weeks of top-caliber hunter/jumper events and one week of breed show competition at the Great Southwest Equestrian Center in Katy, TX.
