If there’s one thing Bond’s star dressage rider can never be accused of it is putting the Kate before the horse.
Kate Kyros is the next big thing in the Aussie equestrian scene having completed a clean sweep, and setting a new national record along the way, at the Australian Youth Dressage Championships earlier this month.
The 19-year-old’s ascent under coach Jenny Gerhke has been unprecedented - this was her first appearance in the Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI) Under 25 Grand Prix event, having only qualified to ride her new stallion Chemistry at that level in June.
“That is definitely the pinnacle of competition for young riders so it was the biggest win for me, and I had a clean sweep and a new personal best, it was quite crazy,” she said.
“A lot of training has been put into it, but the fact that it is happening so quicky is so exciting and totally surprising.
“I am very lucky to have a very experienced coach who has had a lot of international riders and with her help there has been rapid improvement.
“I’m also lucky to have horses with so much ability and are so easy and fun to be around.”
When she loaded Chemistry onto the truck to leave the Sydney International Equestrian Centre, she had to find space for a swag of awards including the FEI U25 Inter II, the FEI U25 Grand Prix and the U25 Freestyle with a personal best score of 72.85 percent.
In the other bay was Intro K who she had ridden to another haul that included the Young Rider Individual award with a score of 73.43 per cent which broke her own Australian record set earlier this year, and Young Rider Freestyle, secured with a new personal best score of 75.84 percent.
She was also one of three riders representing Queensland who won the team competition.
It is impossible to get Kyros to speak of her achievements without her attempting to divert all the credit to her horses who answer to the stable names of Intro and Tommy.
The trio train on the Gold Coast at the property of Bond alumna Jemma Heran who, like Kyros, studied Law and Business and now competes professionally in Europe.
Chemistry, who carries the respected bloodlines of Connoisseur, Johnson and Rosseau was purchased from Kiwi John Thompson over two years ago.
Riders are only allowed to compete on stallions once they turn 18, and the decision was made to keep the duo together until Kyros was old enough. Together Thompson and Tommy represented New Zealand at the 2022 Dressage World Championships in Herning Denmark.
She took over the ride seven months ago and, although Chemistry was qualified to compete in Grand Prix, Kyros was not and the first six months were spent working their way through up through three testing levels.
“It is so hard to find horses that are suited for young riders and a horse that can teach a young rider and take them through the ranks is so valued,” she said.
She will now enter the Australian Open age championships later in the year and although it is a big step up, she says there will be no pressure.
“I feel more pressure competing in the youth competitions as my current aim is to successful in my age group, there is less pressure in open competitions as there aren’t major expectations,” she said.
“It will be a very difficult test. People call it the big sport just because it is so hard to get there, so it will be a big jump up.”