Despite Not Sitting on a Horse for 33 Years, Equestrian Comes Back to Achieve the Unthinkable

Equestrian Kyle Kuvalanka competed in the Prix St. Georges in the 1980s when he was a youngster. As an adult, though, Kuvalanka had to start making serious life decisions, so he gave up dressage to pursue a job like any other student. His passion for dressage and equestrian activities endured despite his many years spent working in the consulting and biopharmaceutical industries. Kuvalanka returned to the sport he loves after almost 33 years away and soon after won a Grand Prix competition.

Kyle Kuvalanka describes his remarkable return to equestrian activities in a recent interview with The Chronicle Of The Horse. He talks about how difficult it was to rediscover his enthusiasm for the sport he had always loved, but how rewarding it was when he finally did.

Rediscovering his flames out of ashes for equestrian sports

Kuvalanka’s interest in equestrian sports was reignited after a 33-year hiatus. He proposed to his now-husband, Jeff Sobell, with the gift of a horse when he was 50 years old. He “flew off to Denmark” to ride several FEI-level horses, he said. Back in 2019, Kuvalanka imported a horse named Jakas Don Louvre, but the horse struggled to adapt to life in the United States. The senior equestrian got himself a schoolmaster and began riding in his spare time. But he felt disheartened since he couldn’t perform to his standards in competition. However, after hearing some inspiring words from Conrad Schumacher, he saw the light. One phrase in particular, according to Kuvalanka, reignited the fire inside him: “You rode before being an adolescent, you have these innate qualities in you.”

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In an interview with The Chronicle Of The Horse, Kuvalanka highlighted how buying Don Louvre had reunited him with his childhood trainer, Pam Goodrich. Goodrich suggested he try out a Swedish Warmblood gelding named Don Juan in early 2020, and he was taken aback. Marja-Liisa Torkkola, the horse’s Finnish amateur-owner rider, trained the horse to the Grand Prix level in Europe. The couple spent a year and a half together at Goodrich’s Foster Meadow Farm in Boscawen, New Hampshire, getting to know each other. After some time, both horse and rider made their GP debut. Kuvalanka and DJ won the FEI Grand Prix class at the NEDA Spring Dressage Competition II on June 4 in Halifax, Massachusetts, with a score of 64.56%. Kuvalanka shared the Grand Prix experience as he said, “Grand Prix’s not easy!”

The equestrian reviewed the footage of his performance after the fact and found that he had, as he had hoped, “a confident ride.” Kuvalanka praised his equine companion for bearing with him.

Crediting those who got his desire back

Kyle Kuvalanka is overjoyed to be participating in equestrian activities again because he enjoys competing and spending time with his horse, DJ. During his time away, he said that the concept of getting back on a horse never left his mind, but that various constraints prevented him from doing so. But now that he’s returned, he’s also expressed gratitude to his longtime friend and “second mother,” Pam Goodrich. He continued, stating, “We have an innate connection at this point. I went from being ‘the kid,’ and now it’s almost like we’re peers.”

Kuvalanka’s plans for the remainder of the year are simple: to keep having fun with DJ and to do better at upcoming events. “He’s a very funny horse on the ground, and we have a great relationship,” he remarked of DJ, his horse. They planned to perform a musical freestyle for the first time at the GMHA as well. Kuvalanka’s main goal right now is to continue making progress with his equine partner.

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