Biography

British rider Kitty King (40) who is based near Chippenham, gained a Badminton best last year completing in 7^th place with Vendredi Biats – her entry again this year. Later in the year they were 6^th at Burghley. In 2021 the pair was a member of the winning British gold medal team at the European Championships in Avenches. In 2019 they were the highest placed British combination in the European Championships at Luhmuhlen albeit not members of the British team and were the winners of the 4*L at Bramham. In 2016 with Ceylor Lan Kitty was a member of the British team for the Rio Olympic Games.

Kitty has competed in British Pony, Junior, Young Rider and Senior teams.

In 1998 she was a member of the British pony team (Red Alert) winning team silver, in 2000 a member of the Junior team (Leading Edge) that won team silver and in 2002 a member of the British Young Rider team with former racehorse Five Boys winning another team silver. In 2003 the combination won the Young Rider championship title at Bramham and won Young Rider team gold at Bialy Bor. In 2005 after selection for the British team to contest the European Championships at Blenheim, Kitty became the first rider to have represented Great Britain at Pony, Junior, Young Rider and Senior levels. In 2015 she was the highest placed member of the British silver medal team at the European Championships (4^th Persimmon). In 2018 with Cristal Fontaine she won the CCI1* for six-year-olds at the world championships in Le Lions.

She is an accomplished producer of young horses and has been successful in major young horse championships including the World Young Horse Championships in Le Lions, the Burghley Young Event Horse final, and age group classes at the BE young horse championships at Osberton.

Kitty comes from a sporting family. Her mother Jane competed at Badminton and Burghley, sister Charlotte has played Rugby for England and sister Lucy has represented Britain in athletics. Kitty is married to former National Hunt jockey Ben King. She trains with Tracie Robinson, Ros Morgan and Dickie Waygood.

Vendredi Biats owned by Diana Bown, Sally Lloyd Baker and Samantha Wilson is a 14-year-old French-bred Selle Francais gelding. Bred by Philippe Brivois he is by the Belgian-bred international showjumper WinningMood (by Darco) out of a mare by Camelia De Ruelles. He was acquired in 2014 as a rising five-year-old from Padraig McCarthy.  He competed in the World Young Horse Championships as a six and seven-year-old place 7^th both times. In 2019 he was the winner of Bramham and was a member of the British squad for the European Championships. In 2021 the pair won team gold at the Europeans in Avenches. Breeder Philippe Brivois also bred Emily King’s (no relation) Badminton entry Valmy Biats.