Australian Olympian Kelly Layne Declares for the U.S.A.

Dressage

Australia

American based Australian Olympic dressage team rider Kelly Layne has declared for the U.S.A. Ken Braddick of Dressage-News broke the news.

The 49-year old Layne officially switched to the U.S.A. on 20 February 2025.

Australian Team Rider

Layne first represented Team Australia in 2006 at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen. They got eliminated from the Grand Prix as her horse Amouche(u)r (by Archipel x Estanz) could not cope with the electric atmosphere in the arena.

In 2011 her main ride was the Westfalian Raja (by Royal Diamond x Ehrentusch) whom she aimed at the 2012 London Olympics, but he did his last CDI in January 2012. Her Grand Prix horse Von Primaire (by Don Primaire x Amiral) ended up taking student Irina Muro (VEN) to the 2015 Pan American Games.

In 2013 Layne acquired Udon P (by Hierarch x Uniform) as a 2014 WEG team hopeful, but she had to pull him out of contention when he was diagnosed with cardiac arrhythmia in the spring of 2014. In 2016 they were nominated on the Australian team for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games but in July had to withdraw due to a splint issue and were replaced by the first reserve, Sue Hearn and Remmington. Udon P was retired from sport in 2017.

In 2019 Layne acquired Samhitas (by Sir Donnerhall I x Abanos) who made her Olympic dream come true as they represented Australia at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. They finished 57th with 58.354% as the horse reared in the piaffe. Since Tokyo Layne showed in two CDI's in the past 3.5 years: Fidelio (by Fidertanz x Rousseau) at small tour in March 2023 and she recently made her long-awaited come back with Samhitas on 9 January 2025. The Grand Prix ride went well until the piaffe at X in which Samhitas reared again.

Layne competed for Australia at the Nations Cup CDIO's in Wellington in 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2021. Last weekend she served as chef d'equipe for the Australian team at the 2025 CDIO Wellington.

Life in the U.S.A.

Kelly grew up in a horsey family with her mom, Helen Anstee, being a dressage judge. From 1997 to 2001 she trained with Jan Dupont in Belgium. In Australia she worked with Irene Bakels-Noreen, Harry Boldt, and Ulla Salzgeber.

Kelly is married to Steve, a native Texan who grew up in California and who has worked in Australia for 14 years. He is a former U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter pilot. The couple and their two children Katie and Will moved to the U.S.A. in 2007. They were first based in Parker, Colorado before relocating to the Palm Beach area in 2009.

Based at the Palm Beach Equine Sports Complex in Wellington, Florida, Layne has been actively training and competed numerous horses up the levels. Last weekend she showed Que Jolie (by Quaterback x Donnerhall) and For Treasure RG (by Vivaldi x Nairobi) under the American flag in the national arena at the 2025 Global Dressage Festival

Declared for the U.S.A.

In an interview with Dressage-News Layne explained her reasons for switching to the U.S.A.

"I feel like I have gone at this sport alone for a long time. I watch the Americans with the pipeline programs, the development programs, and I’ve never been eligible for any of it. I feel like I have some really good horses," she said. "I think with the Olympics coming up, the next four years are going to be very exciting for dressage in this country. I want to be a part of it. I want to be a part of the grants, the pipeline, the development programs. I feel like I have never been eligible for any of it."

She also added that she is interested in the coaching aspect. "I’m also interested in coaching, training, and I want to be a part of that, too. I think I have a lot of experience to bring from my time as a team member of Australia. I can bring a lot to young horse programs, young rider programs. And I’d like to do that. I’ve, again, never been eligible for any of it, but felt like I could apply for those jobs."

Read the full interview on Dressage-news.