National Dressage Symposium with Kyra Kyrkland

Source :  Kentucky Horse Park

The Kentucky Horse Park will present the 2003 Kentucky Horse Park Dressage Symposium with famed Olympic rider and coach Kyra Kyrklund April 11-13, 2003. Presented by Dressage Today and EquiSearch.com, the symposium will feature a progressive seminar from training level through Grand Prix.

For many years, Kyra Kyrklund was responsible for the training of the Finnish junior and young-rider teams. Since 1985, they have won medals both individually and as a team at Scandinavian and European championships. Kyrklund is particularly proud that all the riders in the first ever Finnish Olympic dressage team, in Seoul 1988, were all her students. In 1991, Kyrklund moved to Sweden, becoming the chief dressage trainer at Flyinge Stud. While she was there, the traditional Swedish stallion center was transformed into an international "Mecca" for dressage.

She stayed in Sweden until 1998 when she and her partner, Richard, returned to Finland. Back in Finland, Kyrklund developed a system of training horses that combines core elements of the German and Swedish systems with her own unique techniques. She is a fundamentalist and believes strongly that the quality of the paces reflect the basic training. Kyrklund uses her well-known method of treating horses with kindness but firmness, using a logical and consistent system to obtain excellent results. This system has made her not only one of the best dressage riders in the world, winning a silver medal at the World Equestrian Games in Stockholm in 1990, and first place at the World Cup Final in Paris in 1991, but also one of the world's most respected and admired trainers.

Fifteen riders will be chosen by a selection committee to help demonstrate during the symposium with Kyrklund. Those interested in riding during the symposium must submit a biography and video by December 31, 2002, to the attention of Rob Hinkle c/o The Kentucky Horse Park, 4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY 40511.

Complete registration information for the 2003 Kentucky Horse Park Dressage Symposium is available at Equisearch.com or by contacting the Kentucky Horse Park Special Events department at 859-259-4219, fax 859-253-3211 or email nrivera@kyhorsepark.com