A TEENAGE rider is on the right track for the Los Angeles Paralympics in 2028.
Katie Reilly is fast becoming one of the leading para dressage riders in the world.
Based on the 18-year-old’s performances over the past 12 months, she is making waves in the Fédération Equestre Internationale para dressage world individual rankings.
Katie, who lives in Allostock but hails from Kildare in Ireland, sits number one on the planet in the under 18s age group and third overall grade three in the world.
She is also currently ranked the top Irish international para dressage rider across all grades.
Katie was an ‘involved spectator’ with the Ireland Paralympics team in the 2024 Paris Paralympics, while last month she narrowly missed out on a bronze medal in the FEI Para Dressage European Championships in Ermelo, The Netherlands.
The bond continues to grow at Allostock Yard with her latest horse Keystone Dawn Chorus, also known as Lottie - a multiple Paralympic medallist for Natasha Baker – and sights are firmly set on LA in three years’ time.
She also has a second horse, Impulz W, who was previously on the Dutch medal-winning young riders team.
Katie was born with cerebral palsy and suffers with right-side hemiplegia and spatial awareness, but it doesn’t stop her from following her dreams.
“My experience at the European Championships was incredible - I learned a lot from it,” said Katie.
“The first day was pretty incredible. I'd never ridden a test like that in my life. It went really well and to be 0.3 off a bronze was just incredible with how tight the competition was.
“On the second day, we didn't score as well as we thought we would; it went a little bit downwards and we were eighth place then.
“I think overall we've learned a lot from it and it was on the most part a positive experience.”
Looking forward, she added: “Over the winter we're really going to strip it back and stay more in training, and then we'll be coming back out in the new year to do internationals again.
“But over the winter, it's a lot of training to really hone in on the bits that we’ve learned from the Europeans and taking the judge's comments on board as well.”
Katie, who is on the Paralympics Ireland Aspire Programme, is hoping to raise significant funds to help fulfil her American dream.
“It costs a fair whack to get to LA. I probably need £70,000 to make it to the 2028 Paralympics,” she said.
While she has tremendous support from Wood & Slumber Equine Shavings, Red Mills, Foran Equine and Patrick Saddlery, now she is looking for a financial backer as she sets about achieving scores in Europe competing against some of the best riders in her grade in the world.
If you are interested in sponsoring Katie to achieve her LA 2028 Paralympics dream, contact Karen Reilly at allostockhall@yahoo.com
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