November 5, 2022 
Kyle King is a known threat in a jump off and frequent visitor to the podium.
But even veteran winners are not immune to a crisis of confidence when the inevitable ebb and flow of winning is in a receding phase. For King, who has fewer international mounts this season, there’s been less winning of late than he’s comfortable with.
“I’m very competitive. I like to hold it in a little but I’ve been very hungry, very hungry [for a win]. I don’t like being a filler, I call it. It really drives me nuts,” shared King.
“I know this level [5* competition] is a whole step up. The national levels, I’m very confident in almost any class I go in and here [on the Major League Show Jumping tour], with the stock that these guys just keep coming with in horses and they all ride fantastic, if you don’t have the right string together, you can feel pretty small, pretty quick.
“So yeah, I’ll take any victory I can get right now and just try to build on the confidence.”
On Thursday, King broke his a 5* win dry spell at La Silla GNP, the seventh stop on the 2022 MLSJ circuit.
Riding Etalon, the American rider topped a 47-horse starting field in the Anthony D’Ambrosia-designed 1.50m class. With 20 advancing to the jump off, the scene was set for a foot race and the lead changed multiple times. When the last horse crossed the finish timers, just four tenths of a second separated the podium.
King and Etalon took the top spot in a time of 34.59 seconds. Ashlee Bond (ISR) and Donatello 141 finished second in 34.85 and Simon McCarthy (IRL) and Gotcha, third in 34.93.
“Etalon is just a special horse. He’s probably my longest partner at this point in my string. He just kind of came from nowhere, and he’s just one of those horses that’s always so rewarding,” said King.
“He started as a hunter and a sales horse and turned into one of my most steady campaigners.”
Related reading: Former Hunter Prospect Etalon and King Take the ONNI Grand Prix
While King says he’s “a little light” on horse power on the moment, he’s not short on inspiration.
“When I think of the greats, the John Whitaker’s and all of my idols, it’s people that can ride many different horses and win over long periods of time and that do it in a classy way. I’m pretty lucky to have Conor Swail in almost every single horse show I go to, and I think he’s one of the great ones. And right now he’s in his prime,” said King.
“He’s got horses rolling and he rides great. It really rubs off on you competing against those kind of guys. So it’s nice to see it in action. It just inspires you to see how people can ride, you know what I mean? I think I’ve always been a fast rider. But I just love his style. I always have. And I love seeing that he’s on a such a roll right now.
“And it’s kind of annoying because he’s literally every single horse show I go to,” laughed King. “My home field at Thunderbird, he’s there every single one. Spruce Meadows, he’s there every single one. And, of course, he’s here at every single [MLSJ show].
“But it’s great. You can always kind of judge your skill against him. And, I’ve caught him quite a few times in last couple of years, so it’s always an honor…Even though I feel like I’m a little light on stock at this moment, at least I’m still in there. And it just makes you a better rider and a better horseman.”
