Our Way 1
3 GREAT TROTTING MEMORIES 1 44,100 starts behind
him, he has also driven more races in Sweden than anyone else. He has won the prestigious Elitloppet three times, the V75 league as the Swedish driver with the most prize money several times, as well as Group One races in no less than seven other countries. His love for trotting was inherited from his father Ivar, a trotting trainer. At the age of five he was already driving firewood with his grandfather’s Ardennes draft horse. As an 18-year-old he won his first trotting race and at 23 he earned his trainer’s licence. “For as long as I can remember I wanted to work with horses; nothing else ever crossed my mind,” says Kihlström. When From Above won the Criterium for the first time “At the time, my dream was to win one of the three major races; the Criterium, Derby or Elitloppet. We won all three. I’ve watched Elitloppet every year since I was little and that was absolutely fantastic. My family was there and it was great for my father as well.” 2 It is now almost 40 years since Örjan’s first victory as a driver at Solvalla. Even if form, luck and starting position play a part, a race still has much to do with a driver’s knowledge. “You need a deft driving touch, but also a tactical mindset and to find the right line,” says Kihlström. It has been said that tactics is his particular strength. His unfailing ability to spring a surprise at the finish line has earned him the nickname of Jack-in-the-box. “That came about when I took a chance and got myself hemmed in, found a gap and came through fast at the end,” says Kihlström modestly. WHEN HIS FIRST son was born, Kihlström made the decision to quit the time-consuming trainer job and concentrate on driving – a very special way of life with constant travel, evening and weekend work. Winning Olympiatravet at Åby in 2013 with Maharajah “That was something special as he was in a long run of bad form and many of us wondered if he had passed his zenith. But then he was uncannily good in that way that only he could be – it was great to feel that he was back!” 3 He often drives 10 races in an evening. He seldom suffers from nerves. “All good drivers need to be able to read the horse to see what type it is and how to handle it. I treat all horses with care; they should have a good feeling after the race and still believe in me as a driver. One mustn’t press young horses too hard.” Örjan has driven horses from the Segerhuva Stable in many major races. Last year he broke the race record when winning the Swedish Trotting Derby with Who’s Who – also a historic race in that in 2009 he won the same race with Who’s Who’s father Maharajah and in 2002 with his grandfather From Above. “It was with From Above that I won my first Criterium, Derby and Elitloppet, so he has had the greatest importance for my career, and Maharajah is incredibly special. No other horse has come close to that horse.” HIS GREATEST moments were winning Elitloppet with From Above and the Prix d’Amerique victory with Maharajah 2014. “Winning a major race resonates much more if it’s with a horse you know,” says Örjan. Having won all of the major European races, the Hambletonian in the US is the last remaining looming omission; Winning the Prix d’Amerique 2014 “That’s a race that everyone dreams about winning and it was the last European race that I hadn’t won and that I really wanted to win. It was absolutely fantastic and special to do it with Maharajah as we finished second the first year we competed. The fourth time was the charm!” however, Örjan thrives better at home. “Trotting is bigger here and you just can’t beat the crowds!” He doesn’t hesitate when asked what the best thing about the job is. “Winning – and driving really great horses!” KIHLSTRÖM’S MAJOR WINS H Elitloppet (2003, 2015, 2016) H Prix d’Amérique (2014) H Prix de Paris (2011, 2016) H Prix de France (2004, 2005) H Grand Prix l’UET (2003, 2009) H Swedish Trotting Derby (2002, 2009, 2014, 2018) H Swedish Trotting Criterium (2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) H Olympiatravet (2009, 2013) H Breeders’ Crown Open Trot (2014) H Oslo Grand Prix (2016) H UET Trotting Masters (2016) H Hugo Åberg Memorial (2013, 2016, 2017, 2018) OUR WAY MENHAMMAR 13 OUR WAY 13