Katie Price: dressage enthusiast
Brighton-born glamour model turned dressage rider, celebrity polo player and children’s author, Katie Price, began riding when she was seven.
Between the ages of nine and 16 she had ponies and horses on loan, before eventually buying her own 17.3hh Irish thoroughbred, named Tyke.
Katie first became known on the equestrian scene after the release of her children’s book, Perfect Ponies: My Pony Care Book in June 2007, which was later shortlisted for the WH Smith Children’s Book of the Year.
She began learning dressage in March 2008, making her unaffiliated dressage debut on her own Jordan’s Glamour Girl at Hickstead in June 2008, where she was placed sixth in the prelim 17.
“She did a good job, everyone was quietly impressed,” said Dressage at Hickstead show director Dane Rawlins at the time.
Trained by international dressage rider Andrew Gould, Katie has since made an appearance at the 2008 Diamond Jubilee Horse of the Year Show (HOYS), where she took part in a dressage masterclass which caused some controversy.
However, when asked whether Katie was good for the profile of equestrian sport, Clare Balding went as far as to say that she is “the best thing to happen to the horseworld since hard hats”.
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October 2008 saw the launch of her KP equestrian clothing range with Derby House, which has proved very successful. Although the initial range was available largely in pink, the new spring/summer 2009 clothing range even includes items in a demure navy blue.
In January of this year, Katie bought an eight-year-old full brother to Escapado, Carl Hester’s 2004 Olympic ride.
Katie currently lives in Surrey with her three children — Harvey, Junior and Princess Tiaamii.
