The Swedish equestrian federation has decided not to renew the contract they had with Kyra Kyrklund for her function as a supervisor of Swedish Grand Prix dressage.
Kyrkland has assisted Swedish chef d'equipe Bo Jenå for the past six years in coaching established as well as up coming Swedish Grand Prix riders, both in domestic clinic as well as at international competitions.
"My task was more to see that the riders training was organised in a good way and work with their trainers," Kyra told Eurodressage. "I also did national clinics to try to find new potential team horses/riders."
Mats Eriksson of the Swedish Equestrian Federation stated that budgetary problems were the reason that the contract was not renewed; a surprising move with the 2017 European Dressage Championships to be hosted in Gothenburg, Sweden, next summer.
"The costs were partly financed with funds from the Swedish Olympic Committee and partly from our own budget," Eriksson told Hippson. "There's no more money, pure and simple." Kyrklund added that, "the Swedish Olympic committee always reduces their support after the Olympics (to then raise it year by year up to the next Olympics). It seems to me that the funding wasnt there for me to be able to do the job I was supposed to do."
Swedish Dressage reached a nadir in 2010 at the World Equestrian Games at which only one Swedish combination was able to move onwards to the Grand Prix Special after the country ranked 10th in the nations' standing. Much has changed the past six years and Sweden finished fifth at the 2016 Olympic Games and all four team riders contested the Special and two the Kur to Music.
Kyra considers raising the bar of Swedish Grand Prix dressage as her greatest accomplishment on the job. "From having only 4 horses with the required qualifying score for championships when I started, we now had around 20," she said proudly.
When asked if the job of "team trainer" is still relevant to national federations, Kyra replied, "I think a team trainer, as we know it from the old days, isn't working anymore. But you need a knowledgeable person who can advise/work together with the personal trainers and who can create a fair and solid selection system and coordinate the selections. Talant spotting (and advising them) is also an important part of the job."
Kyra will continue to be a regular instructor for Knytkalaset, a program of clinics for Swedish Grand Prix riders, privately funded by Gina Tricot and Saabgroup and held on a regular basis at Jan Brink's yard. She is also a professor in equitation at the Uppsala University.
Photo © Astrid Appels
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