Kristy is hoping to compete at the Games in the sport of equestrian. 

The year 11 student started boarding at the school this term after moving down with her family from the Gold Coast. 

She recently competed at the national championships in Victoria where she won dozens of ribbons, which included winning all three stages of her dressage events, as well as achieving champion dressage overall.  

Equestrian has been a passion of Kristy’s from a young age. 

She has ridden with her horse, Omaru Arion, since they were both about 10 years-old. 

Dressage to music is her passion and Kristy writes her own tests and puts her music together to fit the horses gaits.

“I love it … it’s really challenging for me and for my horse during competition,” she said. 

“You’ve got to get everything spot on, but for me I feel like it brings you closer to the horse because every movement counts.”

Kristy has long been training in the equestrian arena and will continue to do so in order to achieve her dream of competing at the Olympics. 

She currently does at least two to three sessions a week with her horse, but that will increase once Omaru Arion is able to be stabled at YAHS next term. “I usually do about 45-minute sessions each time and I go through different forms of training,” Kristy said. 

Kristy is coached by her mother Helen, as well as another trainer from Bowral. “I don’t mind all of the training … I really want to go to the Olympics,” she said. Kristy is currently balancing her studies with her Olympic dream and already has a plan in place when she finishes year 12. 

“I want to go overseas and hopefully work with some trainers and learn from them to help me prepare (for the Olympics),” she said. “Hopefully after that I want to come back and go to university as a mature aged student.”

Residents would be familiar with Kristy’s last name as she is the grand daughter of well-known Leeton doctor Bob Byrne and his wife Fay. “It’s been good to move down where our family is,” she said.