Karen Teague – From Grit to Greatness
Karen’s connection with horses began in early childhood and quickly evolved into a lifelong pursuit of excellence in horsemanship. At just 15, she founded her first stud, focused on breeding and breaking in quiet, safe ponies for children—recognising a clear gap in the market for truly reliable first mounts.
With limited resources but a deep determination, Karen made it her mission to take on the horses others had given up on—rearers, buckers, and bolters that were often headed for far worse fates. This passion for working with so-called "problem horses" laid the foundation for the philosophy that still drives Brookby Heights International today: that with the right handling and understanding, every horse has potential.
One of her most memorable successes was Like Magic, an unwanted three-year-old gelding many advised her to put down. Instead, Karen committed to his retraining—and her belief was rewarded when he went on to win the National One Day Championship before later being sold to the USA
The stud’s direction was firmly established after the acquisition of an outstanding mare, Astra Amber, put in foal to an impressive young colt, Wynyard Agile, who had recently been named Supreme Champion at The Christchurch Royal Show. That pairing produced the stallion who would become a cornerstone of the Brookby Heights program: Mighty Heights.
Originally aimed at eventing, Mighty Heights proved exceptional across all three phases, rising to the Advanced level in just one season. His natural ability also extended to show jumping—where he later excelled at the World Cup Qualifier level, tackling 1.60m tracks with power and precision.
At the same time, another of Karen’s talented horses, The Odyssey, sparked her passion for pure show jumping after winning a Puissance at an incredible 1.90m (6'2"). That moment marked the beginning of a new era for Brookby Heights, expanding their focus from eventing to elite show jumping.
Mighty Heights went on to achieve rare success in both sports simultaneously—one of the few horses in New Zealand history to compete at the highest level in two separate disciplines at once. His legacy continues through his progeny and the standard of excellence he helped to define.
Today, Brookby Heights International remains committed to producing versatile, high-performance horses and developing them with the same passion, patience, and insight that shaped Karen’s early success. Whether retraining a tricky youngster or preparing a horse for international competition, the mission is the same: to help every horse become the best version of itself.
Pictured: Mighty Heights - This dude is a legend
Harri Dunmore – Rider & Young Horse Specialist
We’re incredibly fortunate to have Harri as part of the Brookby Heights team. Known for her boundless energy, infectious positivity, and natural connection with horses, Harri brings both passion and talent to everything she does.
Karen first met Harri during her transition from ponies to hacks, when she purchased two Brookby Heights youngsters—Espresso BHS ("Bodie") and Vivalto BHS ("Bree"). That initial connection led to training, and eventually, a full-time role on the team.
Harri has an exceptional feel in the saddle and a confident, kind approach that horses instantly respond to. Her calm yet assertive style makes her especially effective in the early stages of training, and she plays a vital role in both starting young horses and working with those requiring behaviour reshaping through our "boot camp" program.
Currently competing several of our promising young horses with great success, Harri continues to grow as a rider and trainer. Her dedication, work ethic, and intuitive horsemanship are a true asset to Brookby Heights—and to every horse lucky enough to work with her.
We are a little different
The reason why we have such a good international following, is our crazy videos that often go viral…. They are to make light out of a situation but the end result is excellent training for the horses which then sets them up to handle almost anything. Harri is integral in this as she says no to nothing. She is an exceptional rider, but she also will go above and beyond. Lots of our training requires very expericned riding and Harri and I are the riders… Here are some pics that set us aside from others.
We get very attached to the horses who come to us and I think it is because we treat them like our own. Here is one horse who was huge at 18hh who Harri very much fell in love with and cried buckets when he left and Harri is tough!
