Katrina Komitsch
After an hour of chatter over lattes, discussing fashion, travel, current politics, and theatre, its extremely easy to forget that I am speaking with a young woman several decades my junior, such is the poise, intelligence and grace of Katrina Komitsch.
Having always marvelled at the quiet dignity with which Katrina conducts herself ring side, it was such a pleasure to sit down with her and realize those traits run true in everything she undertakes.
Join me in getting to know Calgary Alberta based Katrina Komitsch.
Like many a young rider, the “I want a pony” phase for Katrina hit at age 5, when pleas and promises to her parents culminated in a Christmas riding camp at Carol Doty’s equestrian centre Foxtrail Farms outside Okotoks Alberta. Enter school string pony Susie Q into Katrina’s life.
“I loved Suzie Q,” gushes Katrina looking back. “I loved riding! Soccer and ballet – didn’t want to go anymore. I just wanted to be at the barn and ride.” And so it was that the Doty Christmas camp became regular weekly lessons as Suzie Q and Carol introduced Katrina to the wonders of the hunter horse world.
As Katrina grew and her skills developed, so did the desire for her own ride. The purchase of her very first pony, Gingerbread Man, via a two-year stint with trainer Gwen Houtzager proved to be a successful partnership. But growth again played a factor in needing more input and a more challenging mount for Katrina and had the family on the search for a new trainer and a new horse. They found both with Rodney Tulloch.
Sunrise Edison was purchased and nicely finished off the pony phase of riding for Katrina but not the incredible partnership and bond that she and Rodney were forging as rider/trainer.
“I was only 7 but there’s little doubt that I was obsessed” laughs Katrina. “I wanted to learn everything, I wanted more challenges, and Rodney knew what that looked like – an adventure away from home and a horse to take me on that adventure.”
Hello Mistral!
“Mistral was a locally owned 16-year-old bay gelding with absolutely no quirks. He was such a kind horse and perfect for the transition from a pony. He was also the first horse we tried, and we knew he was the one. We didn’t try any others.”
With the new ride in place and the horse/rider partnership developing quickly, Rodney now set the stage for that first adventure to be undertaken – Toronto’s prestigious Royal Winter Fair.
“I grew up watching that iconic horse show online every November, and I desperately wanted to get there. But after pouring over the entry form, I was eligible to compete in just three classes – two jumping and one under saddle.”
It was a long way to go, and an expensive undertaking for just three classes, but the experience would be invaluable. Parents Debbie and Greg Komitsch understood this, having made the decision to support older son Mac in his hockey pursuits and Katrina in her riding aspirations. With their backing and coach and rider’s hard work, all efforts paid off – Katrina took 1st in her one of her hunter classes at her first Royal Winter Fair.
“It was just THE BEST EXPERIENCE” laughs Katrina. “Unbelievable!”
Katrina was on a roll and her love affair with Mistral was the perfect teaching tool to grow and develop her knowledge, confidence and skills in riding. That confidence led Katrina and Rodney to their next adventure the following summer – Tannis Skinner’s Friendship Games in Panama City Panama.
“This was extremely exciting – to travel to Panama, not knowing what horse you would get from a random draw out of a hat,” exclaims Katrina. “Chocolate H was my draw, and you have one day of warm up with your selected horse before the start of official competition. It was such a fun week, and I came home with the Best Sportsmanship Award, the Best Equitation Award, and knowing that my dreams of riding were now goals to make the equestrian world a huge part of my future.”
Katrina’s teen years, to use an old cliché, flew by.
Another excursion to Panama, this time with trainer Connie Dorsch pinch hitting for Rodney proved just as exciting as Kat’s first time there, perhaps more so, as with age came maturity and with maturity a heightened level of confidence.
Newly leased horse Tom Foolery brought that new confidence to fruition with a CET Regionals win, and a 2nd overall placing in the Jump Canada Medal and 6th overall in the CET Finals, both at the Royal Winter Fair. The experience lent credence to Katrina’s belief she might want to pursue riding full time, and she began to envision what a career in the industry might look like for herself and if that was what she really wanted to go forward.
“It’s about balance – going to school, keeping my grades up, riding and growing in my sport. I think I’m pretty good at stopping and reassessing when I feel life’s pressures. I went to public school until high school and moved over to online schooling so I could devote the time needed to be riding. It was a smart move and the right move for me to pursue goals, but it is also very isolating. The social aspects of showing became more and more important.”
“I was also beginning to comprehend that a dream is not a goal” emphatically states Katrina. “It’s wonderful to dream about riding the big classes or going to Spruce Meadows to compete, but setting a goal and building the steps to reach that goal involves hard work, discipline, grit and determination. With my next horse I wanted to set goals, not dreams, to achieve.”
And the goal? “I wanted to jump the 1.40m.”
Welcome Convento Van de Helle, a beautiful bay gelding from Montreal. “What a great horse! What a great teacher! He was very sure of himself, and we were a great pairing. Within the year, he took me to my first 1.40m competition at Spruce Meadows and the Grand Prix at RMSJ. I remember being just over the top thrilled to be competing at this level.”
That taste of the 1.40m now prompted the purchase of a Brandenburger mare, imported from Europe by the name of Letty Boo. Brandenburgers, although well tempered, are known for their incredible leg power and energetic nervousness.
When I read this description of Brandenburgers to Katrina, she breaks into huge smiles and then laughs, “100% Boo!”
“Boo was quite the horse that we bought sight unseen off a video. We had envisioned her as a small horse, and she confidently walked off the plane, shocking us all at 17.3 hands! She was so strong, so much power – and very determined to have things her way. I had never been on a horse like Boo, but I think we brought out the best in each other – eventually” a still chuckling Katrina states. “She certainly taught me to adjust my riding style, and we developed a program with Tani Zeidler that gave her a lot more scope and discipline.”
Subsequently the required above-mentioned grit and determination paid off in this challenging union. Boo became her partner in the next learning curve of show jumping, and when her name was announced, 17-year-old local girl Katrina Komitsch gathered her wits about her and accomplished a huge milestone – riding through the clocktower and onto the international field at Spruce Meadows.
“That moment, it was so incredibly emotional for me. Even now, I can feel the mixture of excitement, fear, excitement,” a reminiscing Katrina laughs. “Boo for me was the end game that would bring about a culmination of both a dream of being a rider in the international ring and utilizing the tools I had learned to make those goals happen for myself.”
Katrina would ride Boo until university beckoned and choices had to be made.
“My parents were beyond supportive of my riding, and had generously bought my horses up till now, but they made it clear there were no grooms, no hired helpers at the stables. If I wanted this level of involvement, I had to work for my goals. So, I mucked my own stalls, I cleaned my own tack and took care of my own horse. And when the time came to apply for university, I knew that Boo had to be sold so that she could continue to reach her potential and I could move forward to reach my next goal.
That goal was attending university full time in pursuit of an international degree in business, now Katrina’s focus, but not the end of her riding career.
March 2024 saw the arrival of a 12-year Zangersheide stallion from the Netherlands named Chambertino Z. Jamie Gornall made the introduction to Chambertino’s rider, and Katrina knew instantly that this was quite literally her dream horse.
When I asked Kat why this horse is the “dream” horse, her answer is immediate and exuberant.
“His jump is incredible, it’s so powerful. And obviously he’s like a dream Barbie horse, he’s so stunning. Then there’s his scope and talent. But, most of all, it’s his loving character – for a stallion he is such a sweetheart. Simply, he is the whole package.”
After quarantine time in Oregon following his arrival from Europe, Chambi made his way to Thermal where Katrina was eagerly awaiting him.
“We had such a successful bonding in Thermal, getting to know one another. I was very excited to get back home and prep for the show season.
Fast forward to summer/fall 2024 and this dream horse has surpassed all Katrina’s goals, moving up to the 5 Star 1.45’s and then competing in the 5 Star 1.50’s. By summer’s end, Chambi and Katrina placed Top 10 in every one of their classes at the Spruce Meadow’s Masters tournament, jumping clear in each of their rounds and ending their stellar season on an exhilarating high note.
And are there new goals on the horizon for Katrina?
“Developing young horses, delving into their potential, bringing them along at whatever pace they need to reach that potential – I’m recognizing in myself that this is a direction in the industry that I’m quite excited and passionate about.”
“I saw a 1.30m horse in Mexico that I felt would be an incredible equitation horse. After bringing him to Canada, a good program and hard work paid off and he is now happily competing and winning in equitation classes with his new owner in the US. And Lurello Z was unbroken when I bought him and is now competing in the 1.40m’s. There is something tremendously satisfying in seeing a horse grow into their confidence and talent, knowing that it was you who helped them get to this stage.”
For Katrina Komitsch, mapping a plan and staying the course has indeed been a winning strategy. And to once again quote a young Katrina from a decade ago –
“It’s wonderful to dream about riding the big classes or going to Spruce Meadows to compete, but setting a goal and building the steps to reach that goal involves hard work, discipline, grit and determination. I want to set goals, not dreams, to achieve.”
