For Immediate Release 15 July, 2016
They are the power duo that have captured the heart of the Dressage world with their positive attitudes and wonderful camaraderie; Sweden’s leading star Patrick Kittel and his wife and fellow competitor Lyndal Oatley are Australia bound.
Exclusively attending the Southern Hemisphere’s premium equine event EQUITANA Melbourne, the two will present a series of education sessions, a one-off masterclass and a number of ridden entertainment based segments over the course of the event, held 17-20 November at the Melbourne Showgrounds.
Kittel needs little introduction, seeded as the 9th best rider in the global rankings he is one of the few riders to have accomplished feats including a perfect ten for his piaffe and positioning three Grand Prix horses simultaneously in the top 20 FEI rankings. The 2014 Swedish Trainer of the Year harbours an open minded approach to the sport, prioritising love of what he does with giving things a try; an approach that was instilled in him by influencers such as Klaus Balkenhol and Kyra Kyrklund.
The sassy Swede has competed at both the Beijing and London Olympics and has strong hopes for Rio later this year. Standing shoulder to shoulder with Kittel at EQUITANA will be Lyndal Oatley, also a dressage veteran having competed at the London Olympic games and both the Caen and Lexington World Equestrian Games. The approachable Aussie has trained and taught riders including potential Olympian and Olympic Team Coach Brett Parbery is highly regarded both in Australia and in Gemany whether and Kittel have ‘Outstanding Stables’, a training facility and a temporary home for many of the Australian based dressage riders vying for Olympic contention. In another feat, as a coach his pupils including Aussies Oatley and Mary Hannah, and fellow Swede Mads Hendeliowitz are all qualified for Rio.
Oatley fuses dedication and discipline with an authenticity and self-deprecating humbleness that makes her methods accessible and approachable. Oatley could not wait for her Melbourne appearance; “I have been extremely fortunate to learn from a man who is passionate about what he does, Patrik has an unbelievable way of communicating and motivating both rider and horse. Now Patrik and I can entertain and educate together and we are very excited to get there.” She said.
EQUITANA Director Rod Lockwood was delighted to secure the stars, “Patrik is held in extremely high esteem by our elite equestrians, but he is so much more than an incredible coach; he represents the next generation of mentor and sportsman, holistically merging a great attitude and approachability with a classical background instilled by the very founders of modern day dressage as we know it. Lyndal on the other hand is an aspirational figure for our grassroots to grand prix dressage fans, from the sport of Showing she’s taken on the position of a student with a desire to learn, and her global ranking and great reputation are indicative of how mentorship manifests into real results.” Said Lockwood.
Kittel and Oatley’s focus now lies in the delivery of the much anticipated Dressage Masterclass, which promises and offers great value through take home training tips for riders in all disciplines and of all levels. The duo will compete against each other at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Tickets for EQUITANA Melbourne go on sale July 6, further information can be found at www.equitana.com.au.
Kittel and Oatley will present training sessions over each day of the event along with the Dressage Masterclass on Saturday 19th of November.
