USDF Young Rider of the Year: KAT FUQUA
USDF Young Rider of the Year: KAT FUQUA
EQUINIUM SPORTS _Lexington, KY (December 13, 2024) - The United States Dressage Federation (USDF) recently announced they are honoring FEI World ranked #8 Kat Fuqua as the 2024 USDF Young Rider of the Year with her DreamGirl. George Williams, President of USDF, stated, "Congratulations to Kat on a very good year!"
As a young 17-year-old, Fuqua's stellar year was most notably headlined by placing 5th (73.185%) at the FEI Dressage Young Rider Freestyle test at the CHIO Aachen in July. Tennis has Wimbledon, European football has Wembley, the NFL has the SuperBowl, and equestrian sport has Aachen! The international show boasts the top equestrians of the world contesting in the five disciplines of show jumping, dressage, eventing, four-in- hand driving and vaulting held each summer in Germany. On her 3rd year as an United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Emerging Athlete, Kat and her 2008 Dutch Warmblood DreamGirl took 2024 by storm. With her second USEF European tour qualification coming back to Germany, the two proved their international competitiveness, coming off the Wellington season to earn the lead spot of three selected to represent the USA. She competed at Le Mans, France earning 2nd Individual 69.8%, 4th 66.912% Team & 3rd 71.2% Freestyle in May, then June at the Nations Cup in Hagen, Germany 73.733% 5th Freestyle, 68.922% 8th Team & 69.51% to finish 7th Individually.
She was then selected by USEF high performance committee to represent USA for the third year ever for FEI Young Rider division days before Aachen. and Kat & DreamGirl did not disappoint.
"It was such an honor to ride with every nation in the Aachen farewell parade, especially alongside of Dressage Olympian Steffen Peters & Jumper Olympian McLain Ward. I will never forget this opportunity provided to me by so many and especially USEF and USET," says Fuqua. Returning to US in July the "Dream Team" took 3 Gold Medals at FEI North American Youth Championship anchoring her Team with a 70.618%, highest of the 24 entries, then a 70.971% Individual score and 74.355% Freestyle.
"Dream Girl is my first ever dressage horse I received when I was 13 from Stefanie Kok of Holland," said Fuqua. "I had not ridden DreamGirl but loved how she did tempis bareback. I rode all my hunter ponies and junior hunters bareback riding almost before I could walk, riding too on my miniature horses Buttercup & Nutterbutter at our Collecting Gaits Farm in Atlanta."
While Kat did not formally know dressage in 2020, former Grand Prix Dressage competitor & former USEF Dressage Championship Title Sponsor Shereen Fuqua, her mom, taught Kat dressage basics from a young age setting Kat's foundation to become one of the most successful Pony & Junior Hunter multi Grand Champion since 2019. Kat received a USDF Bronze Medal her first year with DreamGirl, and Silver Medal in 2021. Kat says of DreamGirl, "She is the best mare ever, we won Juniors at USEF Championships 2021, and Reserve Young Rider last year after receiving Gold, Silver, & Bronze at the North American Youth Championships (NAYC) last year. We were even Reserve Champion at USDF Open Prix St. Georges with the professionals in November 2022, and awarded Janet Foy's presented award of Lloyd Landkamer Perpetual Trophy for the FEI highest scoring Dressage Mare at the USDF Finals in 2022, two weeks prior I was Washington International Reserve Champion on my Hunter in DC area. Dream Girl is so special and goes the best when she is not over ridden. She loves her grass time, and really gets excited when I jump her over little jumps. That's when we have the most fun together!"
Shereen says, "I have been very strategic bringing in the best trainers in hunters and dressage. People don't understand Kat needs to be trained as a professional not like a kid. She has shown over 5500 times with 6-8 hunters since she was six years old, and is a sponge to execute the movements in the way you tell her. George Williams has been instrumental in guiding and leading Kat with her competition schedule with her dressage horses. He is like a Godfather who always has an eye on Kat since leading the Dressage Youth programs for the US. One year at Wellington he even jumped in to coach Kat at Global Dressage competition. George was with her at Aachen, and every major championship."
Kat agrees, saying, "George was the one standing at the In Gate for my 3 Gold Medals at NAYC. My mom trained me in the warm up but coming out of the ring he is always quick to review my rides with me."
Shereen continues, "I just work with Kat on the basics, softness, activating the horse's hind leg, a soft leg & soft hands. Then I walk away to the side to watch. I never thought about standing at the in gate. Kat does all the work and training of her horses. Besides the Hunter trainers alway teased and told me to get out of the in gate, like Don Stewart on the air during commentaries. We have since become best friends."
In addition to USDF awarding the duo highest honor for Young Riders, Kat was also awarded third for Intermediare II with her Grand Prix horse Rigoletto, a 2013 Mecklenburger gelding. "I purchased "Ritchie" last year from Freddie Wandres in Wellington, after my mom told him we would get the ten year old if he would train me. I learned a lot from Freddie. What sticks out the most in our seasonal lessons, is how to balance the canter pirouettes. Now I do them bareback at home. The Hof Kasselmann team is instrumental in my logistical needs in Europe. I am grateful to Francois and Ulli
(Kasselmann)."
About Kat Fuqua
As a FEI U25 Grand Prix Dressage Competitor, FEI Grand Prix Jumper, recipient of 9 USEF Horse of the Year awards & multi-championship Grand Hunter Champion Junior & Pony Hunters, Kat is proving herself to be America’s most decorated and versatile equestrian. At age 10, she won her first national championship at USEF Pony Finals, repeating the title twice in the following year. By age 13, with multiple mounts she racked up multiple national JR Grand Hunter Championships at the most exclusive competitions; WEF, Devon, Harrisburg, Washington, and Nationals (Lexington). Also at 13, she expanded her repertoire, adding dressage and show jumping to her Wellington, Florida commute for high training & competition since 2014.
Including 9 USEF Horse of the Year awards, 12 WEF Circuit Champion Awards, and 2 Show Hunter Hall of Fame Awards, Kat was named for the fourth year to the USEF Dressage Emerging Athletes Program, beginning at 14 years of age. She is distinguished with 4 Gold, a Silver, and 4 Bronze FEI Medals. Kat has represented the USA in 2 Nations Cups, earning a Team Bronze by age 15.
In 2023, Kat expanded her Atlanta home base and Wellington seasonal residence to add a home in Germany’s Driehof in Tecklenburg. She teams with lead Schockemöhle Executive & Show Jumper Trainer Andreas Kruezer where her five equine Jumpers are based. Kat competed her first Grand Prix Dressage by age 16, Grand Prix Show Jumping by age 15, and actively competes her horses in CSI-2 star competitions in Germany, Holland, and Belgium. She hopes to ride for the USA in Nations Cups in both disciplines.
Kat attended Holy Innocents Episcopal School for 12 years, recently changing as a current Junior to ICL Academy, prestigious virtual school for prominent young athletes and actors. Her favorite subject is French.
Since 2021 and starting at age 14, Kat writes a bimonthly column, "Kat's Korner" for Elite Equestrian magazine. She is passionate and loves high fashion and couture, blending both her equine career and interest in high fashion into multiple cover photo shoots with famous photographers for magazines. Published articles include Art Bodega, Sidelines, Elite Equestrian, Chronicle of the Horse, EQ Living, Plaid Horse, and The Paisley since age 6 among others, representing her sponsors.
Kat's horses are based at her family’s Collecting Gaits Farm in Atlanta, and she resides in exclusive Buckhead. With unbound determination, Kat Fuqua is poised to redefine what an equestrian athlete can achieve internationally.
