Young Rider with Kate Kyros

This article is from the November 2019 Horse Deals magazine.

Age: 15

Lives: Medindie, South Australia

Education/occupation: Year 10 Student

Family history with horses? My mother rode horses as a child. She did a bit of everything, pony club, eventing and some showing. She gave up riding when she was 16. My father had never touched a horse in his life. For the first 10 years, I grew up in a totally ‘horse free’ household.

What age did you start riding? When I was nine I chose to attend pony camp while on a holiday overseas. I had never ridden or looked after a horse before. I spent two weeks riding a pinto pony called Patches. When we returned home I was desperate for riding lessons. My mother said no as the riding schools were too far away. For months I begged for riding lessons, the answer was still no. Then by luck, a school friend invited me to go to the Royal Adelaide Show. Her grandmother, who took us was a horse enthusiast and we sat and watched the horse events all day. When she dropped me home that night she voiced her opinion to my mother, “you have a budding equestrian on your hands” she said, “it’s not hard, you put her in the car and you drive her to the lessons.” Thankfully my mother listened and the next week we set off to Megan Jones’ riding school in the Adelaide Hills.

Tell us about your first pony. My first pony was a show hunter pony called Sienna Journeey aka Beans. He was purchased from Future Farms in Romsey, Victoria, where he had been ridden and shown by Jessica Dertell. We found him advertised for sale in Horse Deals. My mother searched for a long time to find the perfect schoolmaster who would teach me to ride. Beans did exactly that and we enjoyed amazing success together. He is retired from showing now and is currently on lease. He will always be a special part of our family.

How did the showing bug begin? Our search for an educated schoolmaster pony led us to the shows. There were a number of ponies advertised for sale available to be viewed at the SHC Grand Nationals. When we couldn’t find a suitable pony locally, Mum decided it would be easier to fly to the event in Sydney as most of the ponies for sale would all be there. It was 2014 and pony day at the Grand Nationals was flooded out with torrential rain. We bought a program, circled the ponies for sale and then sat all day and watched them go around. The event was amazing, the arena, the winners, the rugs and prizes, the excitement, the lap of honour, walking through the stables - I loved every second. Mum then made the promise that if I ever qualified to compete at the Grand Nationals, she would take me. Little did she know that only a few months later I would qualify as Champion in every class at my first Grand National Qualifying show.

What was your first competition? My first competition was a local SHC show in SA. Mum plaited Beans. It took her hours, the plaits were terrible, and she couldn’t do the forelock at all. Fortunately, we were rescued by a lovely family parked a few floats away. They plaited the forelock and made sure we got in the right classes on time. Beans won Champion like the super show pony he always was. I was third in my rider, out of three.

You have been riding for Universal Stables as well as Chris and Vicky Lawrie for some time now, taking over the reins of some amazing horses and ponies in the ring. How did your partnership with these showing identities come about? Mum contacted Vicky Lawrie when she was searching for a riding coach. She didn’t think the Lawrie’s would have any interest in a beginner, so she asked if they might have a stable hand or groom who would like to earn some extra money. Vicky replied that Chris had time, so we hired a float and set off to a lesson. One lesson became a week of lessons, which turned into a month of lessons and after a few months Beans was invited to stay at the Lawrie’s property full time, so we didn’t have to continually drive back and forth. I have been riding under instruction from Chris ever since and my ponies are in full livery with Chris and Vicky at their Oakbank Farm property. The barn at the Lawrie’s is my second home, I am there nearly everyday.

Two years ago I became a small part of Universal Stables when we sent two of my ponies to Adam Oliver in Queensland so I could compete in events over the winter. The show season in SA shuts down from Easter until August, which is when the shows in Queensland are in full swing. You learn to ride by riding, and you learn to compete by competing, so instead of spending four months away from the shows, we decided to fly to the shows and keep showing. I have had horses with Adam ever since and this past winter I spent most weekends and all school holidays in Queensland riding.

How do you prepare to take over the reins of a borrowed horse? I practise, as much and as often as I can, and I have as many lessons as possible from the everyday rider who schools the horse. My success in the ring on a borrowed horse is a reflection of the time we have spent on the arena at home. It is no accident that the rides come from the stables where I keep my own ponies. I know the horses, I see them regularly and I have access to practise rides and lessons from my coaches. The better you know a horse the better you will ride it, so I always put as much time as possible into getting to know every horse I ride.

What are some of the highlights of your success? Supreme Champion Child Rider 2019 Canberra Royal Show, Champion Senior Girl Rider 2019 Sydney Royal Show, 2019 Grand National Champion Small Show Hunter Pony, Champion Small Show Pony 2019 Brisbane Royal Show, Champion Small Hunter Pony 2019 Sydney Royal Show, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Champion Small Hunter Pony Adelaide Royal Show, and seven EA National Championships - six of which were won riding my own ponies.

What is the secret to your success? Showing is a sport for perfectionists and everything matters. We spend a huge amount of time preparing for each class at The Nationals. The music is very important and many hours go into picking and editing songs for each horse. We set up an identically sized arena and check that the workouts match the timing. A polished performance ends perfectly with the song. The whole barn at the Lawrie’s goes into ‘Nationals Mode’ a few weeks before the show. The focus is entirely upon putting the horses in the ring at Werribee looking and going the best they possibly can.

How do you control your nerves and excitement before entering the ring? I don’t get nervous. I’m not sure why, but I don’t. I think my mum has all the nerves instead.

At Melbourne Royal your dream came true when you won the K.G. Luke Turnout Class aboard Federer. What was your preparation in the lead up to this class? A big part of the turnout classes is having the correct gear and clothing. My mum and Rebecca Crane spent months in the lead up to the show ordering and checking all the saddlery and costume to ensure everything was perfect. We were fortunate to have a few past winners of the Garryowen providing us with advice as there are many ‘unwritten rules’ for how everything must look and fit. Adam had the job of ensuring Federer was working his best and that I was riding him well. I won with a big lead in my riding score and Fed’s manners and paces score, both the direct result of Adam’s training and lessons.

Is the Garryowen a class you aspire to compete in? Absolutely yes! I am so fortunate to have the most prolific winner of the Garryowen, Vicky Lawrie, as my daily inspiration in the barn at home. Vicky’s advice was that the path to winning the Garryowen is up through the junior turnouts, and acting on that advice I entered the K.G. Luke Turnout this year. I already know how I can improve my scores for next year, so hopefully, by the time I am old enough to enter the Garryowen, I will be a more proficient competitor because I have taken up the opportunity to practise.

At Sydney Royal you won the Junior Driver 12 and under 17 years, what was it like to try something different? So, so much fun. Chris Lawrie has been involved with harness for a couple of years now. My saddle shetland Lentara Harveston was sold to Anne Lindh to become a harness shetland, Chris broke him to harness and Anne invited me to drive him in the Junior Driver section at the Sydney Royal Show. I had a couple of practise drives at home but it was my first time driving in the ring. Harvie was perfect and we were all so excited when I won. Driving is very addictive and Chris has promised I can drive the hackney in my driving class next year, so hopefully, you will continue to see me competing in this section. It is wonderful fun.

You label Owendale Beesting as your ‘Special Boy’, why he so special to you and how did your partnership come about? My hunter pony Kevin is currently my most successful pony. I won my first Royal Show Championship with him and we have since added another five Royal Show Championships to that tally. He is the current dual EA National Champion and took me to my first Grand National win at the SHC Grand Nationals this year. My mother spotted a photo of Kevin on Facebook at his first show and says that her decision to contact Michelle Labahn and enquire about purchasing him is one of the best decisions she has ever made. He was four years old and my 12th birthday present. Vicky named him Kevin from Heaven as he is just a pleasure in every way. For the past three years, we have won countless Grand National Qualifiers across five states of Australia, almost always with firsts from every judge. I am so lucky to have such a special pony as part of my life.

How many horses do you have in work at the moment? Three at home in SA.

Do you have a current favourite? No, that would be impossible to decide. All my ponies are so different and have their own special personalities, I love them all.

You have just started a new partnership with Courtlands Cadman, and at your first show qualified for Grand Nationals, how did Caddie come into your life? We were having dinner as a family at my grandparent’s house when Mum’s phone started ringing and ringing and ringing, and wouldn’t stop. When she finally had the chance to check, it was full of messages from Adam Oliver and Rebecca Crane with screenshots of the ad which had just been published for Caddie. Adam had spotted Caddie years before when he happened to see him in a lesson at Belcam. He tried to buy him on the spot but was informed he was not for sale. Rebecca had watched him more recently in the Charlotte Dujardin Masterclass, but had also been told that Steffi Stevens who owned, bred and trained him would never part with him. Mum rang Steffi that night and organised for us to fly up and see him. We were all a little concerned that Steffi wouldn’t sell him to me if I couldn’t ride him well. We went straight out to Universal Stables and Adam gave me an early morning, pre-visit ‘tune-up lesson’ on Federer - 45 minutes of non-stop shoulder in, shoulder-fore, half pass, counter canter and flying changes! The pre-purchase ride on Caddie could not have been more perfect. As the school holidays were coming up and we were organised to be in Queensland riding, we took up the opportunity to have daily lessons from Steffi on Caddie before we brought him home. We also took him to his first Grand National Qualifier in Queensland as part of the Universal Stables team.

How do you juggle study and horses? Work, work, work. There is no time to procrastinate, schoolwork gets done first and fast. My grades at school are the most important priority and if they are not all excellent, no horse shows! It is the best motivation for working hard at school. My school is very supportive of my sport and for the past four years I have been given half a day off school every week to ride. It makes such a big difference to be able to fit in extra riding lessons, especially during winter when it gets dark so early.

Share a typical day in your life. My weekdays start with school. Mum picks me up at 3.20pm and we drive 40 minutes up the freeway to Oakbank Farm. I change there and then work the ponies. I have an amazing Yia Yia (greek Grandmother) who collects my brother from school and takes him home to her house. When we finish riding I ring Yia Yia and she cooks dinner for us while we drive 40 minutes back down the hill. Dinner is on the table when we arrive to pick up my brother, we eat and then it’s home to complete homework before bed.

Who’s your idol? I don’t have a specific idol, but I do look up to and have huge respect for the many professionals who make their living from the sport. Not only are they amazingly talented riders who put winning horse after winning horse in the ring, but they are also more or less ‘demi’ vets and farriers - so great is their everyday horse knowledge. In the ring, they are a constant display of clever ring craft and good sportsmanship. My riding has improved from competing regularly against such great riders.

What are your coaches’ best words of advice? I am blessed to have three amazing coaches, who lead by example, being hugely successful competitors themselves. They are a daily reminder of what is possible when talent is combined with a great deal of consistent hard work. I am very grateful for every second of their time. Chris Lawrie; “If you want to achieve, don’t look back, you will only get a sore neck.” Adam Oliver; “Correct yourself, before you correct your horse.” Heather Currie; “Walk the walk, don’t talk the talk.”

How do you manage the highs and lows of the sport? The dressage rider Andreas Helgstrand says that it takes two whole lifetimes to learn to ride a horse. Which is a lovely way of acknowledging that as a rider it is impossible for one to ever know everything. Once you accept that you are a learner on a never-ending journey, it is easy to manage the highs and lows. I focus on the highs as they are most often the times when I got the learning correct. I acknowledge, but do not dwell on the lows, they are examples of what I still have yet to learn. Regardless, my journey continues on, there is always another class, another day, another show...

What are your future plans? To continue to show my ponies at all the events I love, and some new plans involving Caddie and our partnership together. Caddie has had a very successful dressage career in Queensland and I would like to capitalise on that by competing with him as a Young Rider in some dressage events in SA. I am also hoping to qualify to compete for South Australia at the Interschool Nationals next year in both the show hunter and dressage disciplines.

What do you like to do outside of horses? The rare moments when I have free time I like to go to Sushi Train and the movies with my school friends.

Can’t live without? Horses of course, my Spotify playlists, and my dogs Freddie and Lola.

3 things we don’t know about Kate Kyros?
1. I have a little brother who is 12, he hates horses so you will never see him at a show.
2. My hobbies were tennis, netball, swimming, piano and french horn until I started riding horses and then I happily gave them all up.
3. I can run really fast, I don’t train for athletics but every now and then when I am not absent from sports day tryouts, I have a go and I always win.

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