In the world of romantic fiction, Nicholas Sparks is famous for unforgettable love stories. At Thunderbird Show Park, Olivia Brandon wrote a winning script of her own in the Grand Hunter Arena.

Brandon, a first-year medical student at the University of Washington, rode The Lucky One (named after Sparks’ 2008 novel and its heartthrob protagonist, Logan) to victory in the 3′ Country Lane Farm USHJA Jr/Am National Derby. The gelding, whom she calls Logan and has been partnered with since 2021, carried her to a top score of 173, executing all four high options.

“I named him after the Nicholas Sparks book The Lucky One,” shared Brandon. “The heartthrob in the book is called Logan. All my animals, including my multiple cats, are named after Nicholas Sparks characters.”

The Hunt & Go Derby format is a single-round competition that seamlessly blends the Classic and Handy hunter rounds into one uninterrupted trip, rewarding handiness, adjustability, and boldness. Brandon’s strategy was simple: stay calm and trust her partner.

“My strategy was to be as calm as possible. It was a very long course, so just maintaining an even pace, letting him look at the jumps,” she explained. “He’s a very good boy, so as long as I don’t mess it up, it goes well.”

Brandon, who notes she “bleeds husky purple,” trains with Dustin Goodwin at Goodwin Horses. Off the course, she juggles medical school with caring for three rescue cats and a dog named Charlie—all, fittingly, with literary names.

$7,500 Country Lane Farm USHJA Jr/Am National Derby 3′