World Grand Champion and World Champion NYPD passed away on December 18, 2016. The 16-year-old stallion was owned by the Rick Compton family of North Tazewell, Va.

Sired by A Jazz Man and out of a Pride’s Story Night mare, NYPD was foaled on March 21, 2000, to Mike McCormick of Shelbyville, Tenn. Under the direction of Billy and Tim Gray at Southern Comfort Stables in Shelbyville, Tenn., the group of Holland, King & Kilgore enjoyed the talent in his early years. The popular stallion’s career got off to a good start at the 2002 Moore County Horse Show and continued on to a strong reserve tie in the Two-Year-Old Stallion World Championship.

After a victory at the Columbia Spring Jubilee in the Three-Year-Old Stallion class in 2003, NYPD and Tim Gray went undefeated for two consecutive years capturing an astonishing eight blues that includes two world championships and two world grand championships, which were both unanimous.

NYPD found his forever home when he caught the eye of the Rick Compton family in the fall of 2004, right before the Celebration. Following his Four-Year-Old World Grand Championship victory, he would be campaigned in the Stake division for the next two years.

Under the direction of Steve Hankins, NYPD entered the Amateur division for the first time at the 2007 Celebration, earning top honors in the Owner-Amateur Riders on Stallions, Five Years & Over World Championship and a reserve World Grand Championship title in the Owner-Amateur (Canter) class. In 2008, Kenny Compton rode the talented stallion under the Celebration spotlight, winning the Owner-Amateur (Canter) World Grand Championship and their preliminary class to finish out an undefeated season. The following year, NYPD would return to the Open division where he would go undefeated for another year, including an Open Championship victory at the 2009 North Carolina Championship.

NYPD and Kenny Compton made their final pass around the big oval together at the 2011 Celebration where the duo amassed yet another world grand championship in the amateur ranks and won their qualifier.

He began his retirement following the 2012 show season and became a successful breeding stallion where he would reside at Spencer Benedict Stables. NYPD was truly a once in a lifetime horse for the Compton Family and will be missed by all that knew him.