Paralympics Ireland to send Katie Reilly to Paris

Kildare para-dressage athlete, Katie Reilly

Kildare para-dressage athlete one of five selected through Futures Program

Young para-dressage rider, Katie Reilly has been selected among a group of five Paralympic athletes from five different sports to travel to the Paralympic Games in Paris from September 1-4 with legendary four-time Paralympic champion, Michael McKillop as a mentor.

The lucky quintet have been selected to aid their development as part of Paralympics Ireland’s Futures Program, which is designed to foster the development of athletes with strong potential to represent Team Ireland at the 2028 Paralympic Games in Los Angeles.

Katie, who is just 17 but already has major championship experience having represented Ireland at the European Championships in Germany last year with Impulz W, is from Ticknevin, Co Kildare.

The talented teenager has cerebral palsy, which affects the right side of her body, but has made significant progress in her chosen discipline since being introduced to dressage by her mother, Karen and starting to compete six years ago.

Horse Sport Ireland High Performance Para-Dressage Director, Debora Pijpers is delighted by Katie’s recognition and contends that the possesses the necessary tools to prosper in the future.

“I think it’s an amazing opportunity that Katie has been selected for this programme and I’m very grateful to Paralympics Ireland for selecting her and for creating this programme,” said Pipjers today.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for athletes to experience such a multi-discipline event and atmosphere at the games, and moreover, I think it’s very valuable for them to learn from a former successful Paralympian.

“And to have the combination of those experiences will help athletes to develop to hopefully, become part of a Paralympic Games in the future as athletes, and to do so successfully.

Pijpers continued: “Katie is very open and willing to learn. She’s very eager and also very level-headed. She does exactly what she has to do. I also think she is very strong mentally.

“She has shown several times this season that she really wants to focus on the things that you need as a top athlete. And those things are focusing on enjoying your daily training and enjoying your daily step-by-step improvements. And really focusing on enjoying your time with the horse and enhancing your basic riding skills.

“She has worked very hard at this and because of her mental strength and openness to improve, and also the great support team that she has – she has a very supportive family, a very involved trainer and several talented horses – I believe Katie has great potential for the future.

“I wish Katie all the best for the future and I hope that I can encourage her to focus on what she is already doing – enjoying her day-to-day training and focusing on making those very little steps forward and enjoying that process.

“I am very happy that she will be able to experience the Games with this amazing programme.”

It is hoped that the immersive experience of life as part of the team, mixing with athletes from around the world in the Paralympic Village, dining hall, accommodation and transport hubs and various competition venues, will not just fuel their ambition but also prepare them better if they qualify for the Games themselves.

The Futures Program aims to “support multiple aspects of the athletes’ journeys, empowering them to understand what it takes to compete at the highest level, fostering high-performance behaviours, and immersing them in high-performance environments, all while focusing on their ability to perform on the world stage.”