"He's only won it once but he was based in Australia most of the time," she said, mindful he crossed the Tasman more often after meeting her Kiwi mum, Vicki, but also plied his trade in Europe, too.
Her father says "lots of things" before her jumps but Laurie said he was a pivotal part of a dedicated stable and support crew who made life easy for her on competition days.
While she won the premier JB Olympic Cup on Springfield last year, Laurie had hoped Dunstan Lucca (third yesterday) would clinch the Norwood Cup yesterday but she was pleased with Dunstan Breeze, who dropped a fence.
Lucca and Breeze are in Sunday's equation for the Olympic Cup.
Nevertheless, it was a perfect plan yesterday. "You've got to place your horses in classes and Bart's [Springfield] place in Norwood Cup was really good for him."
Breeze wasn't supposed to jump yesterday but inclement weather on Tuesday put paid to her 1.40m jump plans.
"So I just needed to get her in the ring to get a look.
" Daniel [Meech] went very fast. My first horse I probably underestimated it so I was a little too slow, so in the next one I had to up my speed," the Mystery Creek rider said of the Bay Olympian who finished runner-up on Queen of Dance WHS in an imposing field of 31.
Springfield isn't a fleet-footed beast so she had to gee him up.
Despite the downpour leading to the show, the surface was in pristine condition on the Gerrit Beker-designed course.
"It is unbelievable how good the ground is after all the rain we've had. There's not too many places that can have that much rain and still jump like that today," she said, predicting the ring surface would improve although it was a touch wet yesterday after a helicopter was employed to dry it.
For the record, Laurie has won the premier showjumping title, the Olympic Cup, here five times - on Dunstan Forrest II (2008), before backing that up with a triumvirate of crowns on Dunstan Delphi (2010), NRM Seremonie VDL (2011) and Dunstan Daffodil (2012).
Dannevirke veteran Maurice Beatson broke that habit in 2013 on My Gollywog but Laurie bounced back last year on, ironically, Dunstan Springfield to return as defending champion.
She was about five months pregnant with Grace, now 8 months old, and was on cue to marry her then finance, Jackson Laurie, a week later.
"I'm lucky that I've got mum and Jackson who are so good in looking after Grace while I'm riding. Jackson's a great dad so I can do my job and not worry about anything because she's in the best hands," she said of the trio who are here as well.
While motherhood had probably made her mentally and physically stronger, she was conscious of "having a very important girl in her life".
Laurie, who had been in California for 10 days before arriving here, hopes to jet back there on Monday. She has Dunstan Kiwi Iron Mark and Frangipani de Toxandria there, primed for the FEI World Cup final boasting the plant's top 30 riders.
"It's very tough but it'll be exciting going there to represent New Zealand."
From the US, she'll move to Spruce Meadows, Calgary, in winter before setting her sights on the Olympic qualifiers in Germany in September.
For now, the focus is today's Ultra-Mox Lady Rider of the Year on Springfield.
"He might be a little tired but hopefully he'll be fine," she said, revealing another hectic day was in store with three other horses to ride in the field.
