We extend the isobar model for kaon photoproduction to consider higher energy data by combining the model with a Regge approach. The extended model works nicely between threshold and 16 GeV. It is shown that model with crossing symmetric Born terms leads to a better description of experimental data. We use the model to calculate contributions of kaon channels to the Gerasimov--Drell--Hearn sum rule up to 16 GeV.

PACS numbers: 13.60.Le, 11.55.Hx, 13.40.Em, 14.20.Dh