Kadi on Zahama with siblings on their family farm, circa 1981
If you’ve been following show results with the slightest amount of interest, you would have a hard time missing Kadi Eykamp’s name. Originally from Australia, where she competed very successfully at the four-star level, Kadi just placed fifth at Fair Hill in the two-star fresh off her AECs Intermediate win with Double Rivers Really Cool. She also completed both shows at the three-star and advanced levels with Double Rivers Dillon. Kadi made the 27 hour haul to Maryland from her home base in Keller, Texas where she runs her own training facility for horses and students. Could you expect anything less from someone who actually rode her horse to school? Currently ranked 17th on USEA’s Overall Leaderboard, it’s safe to say Kadi isn’t going anywhere but up. Here’s her interview- and remember the name.
How did you get into Eventing?
I couldn’t start riding till I was 8 when I had the opportunity to get my first horse which I rode to a very small 26 pupil 1st – 6th grade outback school on. I can’t remember why it was eventing that I wanted to do but it always was from when I first started riding. As I mentioned we lived in the middle of no-where and I saw no horse magazines, other English riding, or even many horses or other children. I don’t know where the thought even came from as I couldn’t have described what eventing was very well. I had books and I saw pictures, it was an American eventing book called something like USET Eventing.
I think my first event was part of a week Pony Club Camp we had once a year. I was 11 or 12 and rode an Arab called Zahama. He had no training except my efforts before the Pony Club camp- I had no lessons because we lived so far away, because the phases were run during the week in lessons I don’t remember how we went but I do remember parts of the cross country and that there were bigger jumps that I wasn’t allowed to jump that I felt I should be jumping! My first real event was the Pony Club Championships when I was 13! We had just bought an experienced eventer and I wanted to go and my Pony Club sent me along. The horse was very good and we came 2nd overall and made the winning NSW team. I was hooked.
What’s the biggest difference between Australia and Texas?
I last competed in Australia in 2004, but I would know I was at an Australian event if in the dressage the horses have false tails, quarter markers, intricate brass detailed bridles polished to a blinding shine, tails cut 4 fingers below the chestnuts, there were 10 dressage arenas all 20 x 60, no test started before 8am, beginner novice was called intro, novice called prelim, training called pre novice and prelim called novice! For x/c advanced would run in the middle of the day- no early morning!- intervals would be 1 minute except for I and A. Everyone would be camping in their trucks with yards constructed off the sides to save on using the temporary pens where your horse is next to others. Horses would be covered in blankets, starting with a cotton layer called a show set that has matching hoods made to the riders colours to keep them clean after plaiting (braiding) the night before the dressage. In the parking area Goosenecks would be a strange and rare set up, there would mostly be big trucks with the living and horses all in one as well as some trailers pulled by their parents 4 wheel drives, (SUV’s). Most would have a dog tied on a chain and there would definitely be cheese and wine happening in one or two living parts of the truck in the evening with a bunch of regulars settling in and meeting the new grooms from around the world doing their 3 months cash work before traveling the rest of Australia. And last but not least prize money!
What has been your favorite moment of the journey so far?
I had a lot of fun riding my homebred mare Trakenher x NZ TB, Izabella Rosellini. She was a phenomenal jumper and my first horse I took to 4 star. I retired her in 2004 after Adelaide CCI**** where she was 6th but also won the best show jumping round trophy. She was long listed for Athens earlier that year. I’ve never sat on such a powerful horse off the ground at a jump and probably never will. I’m waiting for a pallet to fill up to import her first foal from Australia. He’s by an Australian TB that sired Shane Rose’s Silver medal team horse at Athens, All Luck, he was fastest horse around the cross country! Rockstar, as he’s called, is now rising 5 and 17hh. Winning Sydney 2003 CCI*** on my TB, Seal, was also a memorable moment.
Who is the biggest inspiration to your riding career?
Heath Ryan taught me how to ride, compete, and work. He is a true horseman that has produced so many horses to the top levels in eventing and dressage he is definitely an inspiration.
Best advice you’ve ever been given?
Heath once told us Hannibal crossed the Alps and the Pyrenees by putting one foot infront of the other then the doing that again and again – he defeated the Romans partly because they were unprepared as they didn’t think the Mountains were passable.
Why you ride in five words:
Because each horse is different.
Go (Australian) Eventing.
