Kyra Kyrklund Inducted into the Hall of Fame of Finnish Sports

Dressage

FInland

The multi-Olympian dressage rider and trainer Kyra Kyrklynd will be the first equestrian to be inducted in the Hall of Fame of Finnish sports.

Kyrklund joins Sami Elopuro (squash), Jarkko Nieminen (tennis), Marjo Matikainen-Kallström (skiing), and posthumously Olli Mäki (boxing) in the list of athletes who have been elected to the Hall of Fame of Finnish sports. The names were announced on 8 January 2023 on television in Yle's Sports Studio.

The 71-year old Kyrklund was a student of Herbert Rehbein and her career making horse was Matador (May Sherif x Wersal), who took her to silver at the 1990 World Equestrian Games and the victory in the 1991 World Cup Finals. She also placed fifth at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul. Kyrklund's career in the saddle spans from 1980 to 2008. She competed at six Olympic Games and numerous World Equestrian Games and European Championships.

Amongst her other top horses were Edinburg (by Elever x Dokhod xx), Flyinge Amiral (by Napoleon x Flamingo), and Max (by Master x Alpen Fürst) .

Since then Kyrklund has an illustrious career as a dressage trainer. She is team trainer for Portugal, has been teaching for several decades in a Swedish talent development programme, and has star pupils such as World Championship silver medal winner Cathrine Dufour.

Kyra was also president of the International Dressage Riders Club from 2010 till 2020.