The Crooks Show Jumping Young Horse Series continues to be a cornerstone of developing show jumping talent at Thunderbird Show Park, offering breeders, trainers, and prospective buyers a premier showcase of the industry’s most promising prospects.

Since 2019, Crooks Show Jumping—led by Washington-based grand prix rider Lauren Crooks-Brennan and her husband James Brennan—has sponsored the series with a clear mission: to create affordable, competitive classes where young horses can develop against their peers.

Held over five tournaments at tbird—the Spring Festival, Odlum Brown BC Open, Western Family, Summer Fort Welcome, and Summer Fort Classic—the series features two classes per week across 0.90m, 1.0m, 1.10m, 1.20m, and 1.30m sections, with one young horse class offered each day. New this year, all classes in the series are offered with no entry fee for the 2026 season. 

This week, Nicole Bourgeois (USA) delivered a commanding performance in the Crooks Show Jumping 1.30m division, sweeping both the 2 Phase Special and the $3,000 feature class with 7-year-old Westphalian gelding Fifty Cent 14 (Favorit Ask x For Pleasure).  Their winning time on Saturday: 34.04 seconds. Canada’s Samantha Buirs-Darvill and True Diamant finished second in 35.91, while Tracey Epp and BP Lady Masterpiece secured third in 35.94.

(Related aside: Bourgeois also dominated the USEF Young Hunter 3’0-2’9″ Combined division on Co Star, winning three of four classes and placing second in the under saddle.)

In the 1.20m division, Brennan took top honours aboard 6-year-old Selle Français gelding Kymi Grand Prix (Cornet du Lys x Bisquet Balou VD Mispelaere) with a double clear in 36.83 seconds. Shawna Dunn (CAN) and HHS Kentucky took second in a time of 38.01. Naya Mellersh (CAN) and Tanguy van de Leukenakker were third in 38.09.

(Second related aside: Brennan also won Sunday’s Odlum Brown Grand Prix aboard another young horse, 8-year-old The Statesman.)