1928th Summer Olympic Games – Amsterdam, XNUMX

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The Olympic Games in Amsterdam were the first Olympics where we won two team medals in show jumping - silver and bronze in eventing.
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Relatively early, in the winter of 1926/1927, a group was established to handle international competitions and select the representative team for the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam.

This group, called the Horse Sports Preparatory Group, was established in Grudziądz at the Cavalry Training Center and gathered a significant number of riders. The group leader was Lt. Col. Karol Rómmel, and the instructor was Capt. Leon Con. So it was, to some extent, a compromise and both largest centers, as well as both fields of training, were represented in the group.

At the Olympics in Amsterdam, Poland also submitted teams for only two disciplines, namely for Eventing 1 Nations Cup. This time, due to a change in the regulations, teams played in three-person teams. In addition, two reserve riders with reserve horses left.

The Polish representative team consisted of: Lt. Col. Karol Rómmel, Capt. Michał Antoniewicz, captain Józef Trenkwald, Lt. Kazimierz Szosland, Lt. Kazimierz Gzowski and as reserves - Maj. Henryk Dobrzański (Evening) and Capt. Zdzisław Dziadulski (Nations Cup).

This time the selection of horses was more homogeneous, and what is important - half of them were domestically bred. The following horses appeared: Moja Miła - a half-bred mare of domestic origin, the service of Lieutenant Tuński, with a racing past, Lwi Pazur - a half-bred mare of domestic origin, prepared by Trenkwald, Ali - a half-bred gelding of domestic origin, owned by Szosland, Doneuse - a full-blood mare of French origin, with an obstacle course and racing career, owned by Rómmel, and Readgledt and Mylord - horses of Irish origin.

All-round Riding Horse Competition. As usual, the competition consisted of three trials, dressage, endurance and show jumping. The program itself has not changed. 1 full teams and individual riders took part.

In this competition, Poland was represented by the following team: Lt. Col. Karol Rómmel on his mare Doneuse, Capt. Michał Antoniewicz on his mare Moja Miła and captain. Józef Trenkwald on his gelding Lwi Claw.

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Show Jumping Competition - Nations Cup. The competition for the most valuable trophy - the team Nations Cup and individual medals - took place on August 12, traditionally on the last day of the Olympics, at the stadium in Amsterdam. The requirement was to complete a parcour with 16 obstacles, approximately 1,40 m high and 4 m wide, over a distance of 780 m at a pace of 400 m/min. At that time, 4 penalty points were counted for knocking down an obstacle with the front legs, and 2 points for knocking down an obstacle with the hind legs.

14 teams of three people and several individual players took part. A total of 48 competitors took part, both former Olympic champions and winners of the most important awards in both hemispheres.

The Poles participating in this competition consisted of: rtm. Michał Antoniewicz on Readgledt, Lt. Kazimierz Szosland on Ali and Lt. Kazimierz Gzowski on Mylord.

The team fight for the Nations Cup begins. The first Norwegian finishes with 16 points. Next, the famous Spaniard Trujillos leaves the track with 2 points. The third one is the gold medalist from 1920 and the silver medalist from 1924 - Tomaso Lequio on his famous Trebecco, but twice breaking and 6 points eliminates the Italian this time from fight for a medal. The sixteenth in line is Lieutenant Gzowski. Mylord, under his rider, is the first to complete the entire parcour without making a mistake, and the crowd generously rewards the Pole. (…)

Read more... (click to go to the Polish Digital Equestrian Library)
Author: Bolesław Skulicz