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Kate Kyros Secures World No. 1 in the FEI Dressage World Youth Rankings

Kate Kyros and her stallion, Intro K, have claimed the World No. 1 spot in the FEI Dressage World Youth Rankings for Young Riders.

Kate Kyros and Intro K in Florida. Image: Susan J Stickle Photograph

Liza Harvey

Published 4 Feb 2025

Kate Kyros and her stallion, Intro K, have reached the pinnacle of the FEI Dressage World Youth Rankings for Young Riders, securing the World No. 1 position. The achievement comes on the back of one of the most successful Young Rider seasons by an Australian dressage partnership, with victories recorded across three continents.

Growing up in South Australia, Kate’s journey from local agricultural shows to international arenas has been nothing short of extraordinary.

Reflecting on the news, Kate shared: “I burst into tears when my Mum rang me to share the news, it is truly unbelievable. I still am and always will be at my core the little girl who spent her weekends riding her pony at agricultural shows in rural Australia. A lot of time, hard work, training and support from wonderful individuals has led from then to now.”

From South Australia to the World Stage

Growing up in South Australia, Kate began riding at the age of 10 after attending a pony camp on a family holiday overseas. Hooked from the outset, Kate was desperate for riding lessons on returning home; her parents took some convincing, but eventually, it was off to Megan Jones’ riding school in the Adelaide Hills. While there were no horses in Kate’s life prior to that moment, her mother Heather could be to blame for the “horse gene”, having ridden as a child through to the age of 16.

Kate’s first pony came along in 2014 and was a show hunter named Sienna Journeey, purchased from Future Farms in Victoria, and formerly ridden and shown by Jessica Dertell. Sienna Journeey kicked off Kate’s success by winning her first Open EA National Championship just seven months after beginning to ride. Her introduction to dressage came later with Courtlands Cadman, a warmblood who took her to her first FEI Junior competition in 2021.

Since then, her dressage journey has quickly grown with the addition of two top stallions. Chemistry, her Grand Prix mount, was acquired from New Zealand Olympian John Thompson in 2021, while Intro K, a KWPN stallion, joined her team in late 2022.

A return to Europe:

Kate will soon return to Europe to continue her campaign with Intro K, while her Grand Prix mount, Chemistry, will be campaigned in Australia by Olympian Jayden Brown.

“I am counting down the days to be reunited with Intro K in Europe who deserves all the love in the world. Intro is so special in every way and I can’t wait for our upcoming season together” shared Kate.