CALEDONIA—It was a weekend to remember for teen Kylie Searles as she took to the field at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair to compete in the Children’s Working Hunter (3 ft.) division.
The Grade 12 McKinnon Park Secondary School student entered ranked sixth overall in her division.
“It went really well. My horse was really, really good. We finished fifth under-saddle (the flat portion of the competition), and we got sixth place over-fence (the jumping portion),” said Kylie, noting that she earned those rankings against 18 fellow competitors.
“It was a really cool moment. It feels unreal to be able to show there,” she added.
While it was Kylie’s second appearance at the event, it was the first since she underwent emergency surgery in April 2024 after having been previously diagnosed with Chiari Malformation Type 2 with a large syrinx, a condition which reduced muscle and mobility in Kylie’s arms and legs.
She explained how the condition caused pressure on her skull, which in turn caused “pressure down my spine, causing fluid to drip down my spinal cord, and crushing the nerves for my arms and my legs.”
While Kylie praised the medical team and doctor at McMaster Children’s Hospital who performed her surgery, the 17-year-old admitted that it took a while to get back on her feet afterward, dealing with bouts of nausea and difficult physical therapy.
“I couldn’t sit up for a while; it would make me sick from the new pressure in my head. It was just about taking it slow, making sure I had a bunch of hydration, make sure I’m having nutrients, and lots of help from walking,” said Kylie.
From there, a solid workout routine to build muscle helped Kylie get back in the saddle, doing what she loves.
Jennie Curtis, Department Head of Arts, who taught Kylie in Visual Arts, praised her unwavering spirit.
“She’s had this adversity but is still able to accomplish these goals and still maintain a great work ethic at school. I think a lot of kids when faced with problems will shut down; they’re not able to see that things will get better,” said Curtis. “For the most part, she just sort of dealt with it. I think her attitude is very pragmatic. She still manages to keep everything else under control.”
Curtis also praised Kylie’s artistic sensibilities, noting she had repurposed one of Kylie’s dog head sculptures as a plant pot on her desk.
Curtis added, “You can just see her being successful in life. She’s got a really good head on her shoulders…. She’s just a really sweet, down-to-earth, grounded kid.”
Kylie described a childhood where horses and riding were there from day one.
“My mom used to ride.… She had a thoroughbred. My Granny used to do horseback riding back in Scotland. When I was born, I was straight away introduced into the horse field. I started riding from I think about the age of four and a half and kept taking lessons all the way to where I am now,” she shared, calling her personal connection with the horses she rides her favourite thing about the lifestyle.
“It’s just so cool, honestly, to have an experience with an animal and have it trust you,” she said.
This year, for her second appearance at The Royal, Kylie took on the challenge with her riding companion Angus, who has been with her for the last year. She chalked up the special bond they share to simply providing good care, including brushing, hand-grazing, walking together, and “lots of treats.”
“It takes all summer to qualify and get enough points to come here,” said Kylie, speaking to The Press from Toronto ahead of the competition. “It’s a lot of lateral work, a lot of jumping, gymnastic work with the horses to get their hind end ready for the Hunters.”
As part of the competition, Kylie and Angus took part in walk, trot, jumping, and other events like flat work.
She thanked her mom, grandmother, coach Garet Selleck, and helper Cathy Chase for helping her reach her goal. She’s hoping they’ll help her achieve her next goal – jumping up a level to compete in the Junior division at next year’s Royals.
She shared her advice for anyone looking to follow in her footsteps: “Find your nearest riding stable and surround yourself with good people.”
