Horse riding trainer, co-founder of the Polish Equestrian Association and its general secretary. Knight of the Cross of Valor and the Silver Cross of Merit.
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In the history of our horse sport, next to a number of excellent competitors who made our equestrian traditions famous with their victories in many stadiums around the world, a very prominent place was occupied by a talented rider and an unrivaled instructor and equestrian expert - Major Leon Kon. Although his lack of health did not allow him to take an active part in competitions, he was nevertheless able to ride and jump horses precisely, and, above all, he was able to perfectly train those who nature had endowed with a strong body, talent and the desire to learn to ride at the highest level.
Leon Kon was born in Warsaw on September 5, 1888 to father Gabryel and mother Jadwiga née Dąbrowska. In his early childhood, his parents took him to St. Petersburg, where he started attending the 1906th classical gymnasium, which he graduated in XNUMX. Then he entered the university, the faculty of natural sciences, but he did not graduate due to being too involved in horse sports.
While still in junior high school, he became fond of horse riding and gradually became more and more involved in it, so that over time it became his main activity.
Having met a wealthy and passionate rider while still a junior high school student, Paweł Taniejew gained his sympathy and support in teaching riding. P. Taneyev, who had mastered mange riding well, selflessly trained the young adept of this art and lent him his horses, and in 1905-1906 he began to practice "higher school" exercises with him. Seeing that the student had exceptional passion and talents, he introduced him to a world-famous rider and instructor at the Officers' School in St. Petersburg, James Fillis. L. Kon trained under him at the higher driving school in 1906 and 1907.
Due to the progress he was making and his growing enthusiasm for horse riding, he left the university to devote himself entirely to his equestrian career.
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Throughout L. Kon's hard-working life, his greatest achievement was that, together with Col. K. Rómmel was the first to attack the outdated rules of manege riding in the reborn Poland in the 1920s and, despite initially very strong resistance, they were able to force through a change in the horse riding teaching system at the Cavalry Training Center in Grudziądz, from where the new riding rules gradually spread throughout the country. They also brought many laurels to our equestrian sport on the international forum, including the Olympics.
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Author: Witold Pruski
Source: "Major Leon Kon and His Role in Polish Horsemanship" (1969) - Witold Pruski
Entry updated: 06.03.2024/XNUMX/XNUMX
Leon Con died in Poznań on November 24, 1964, at the age of 76.
He was buried in Kościan in the Poznań province.
Publications in the Polish Digital Equestrian Library:
Click on the links below to access related materials in the Polish Digital Equestrian Library (will open in a new tab):
"Jerzy Grabowski and the first course of riding instructors" (2013) - Renata Urban
"History of horse riding, part XVII” (1994) – Witold Domański
"History of horse riding, part XV” (1993) – Witold Domański
"Polish Riding Association" (1991) – Leon Con
"Paris Olympics 1924" (1990) – Leon Kon
"Central Cavalry School and the 2nd Grochowski Uhlan Regiment" (1990)
"History of horse riding, part III” (1989) – Witold Domański
"After 24 years in the Olympic competition" (1972) - Witold Domański
"Major Leon Kon and His Role in Polish Horsemanship" (1969) - Witold Pruski
"It was not easy to start horse riding after the war" (1965) - Leon Kon
"Horse Riding" (1953) - Leon Kon
"1927 Łazienki 1937" (1937) - Leon Kon
"Polish horse riding in 1936" (1937) - Leon Kon
"Horse Games of the 1936th Olympiad" (XNUMX) - Leon Kon
"Amsterdam - Hilversum" (1928) - Leon Kon
"Polish riders at the ninth (1928th) Olympiad" (XNUMX) - Leon Kon
"Already about the 1928 Olympics..." (1926) - Leon Kon
"Polish equestrianism at the VIII Olympiad" (1924) - Leon Kon
"Leon Kon – co-founder of the Polish driving school" – Andrzej Sarnowski, Zdzisław Witkowski
Photos from the collection of the Museum of Sport and Tourism - Warsaw
Sergiusz Zahorski
Brigadier General of the Polish Army, head of the Military Cabinet of the President of the Republic of Poland, co-founder of Polish equestrian sports, participant of the 1912 Olympic Games in the Russian national team.
Rider and Breeder, 1922-1939
A pre-war weekly magazine addressed to breeders, athletes, racing and horse enthusiasts. Poles for whom the history of our country is inextricably linked with horse breeding and equestrian sports.
ALLI (NN–NN)
He was born as Kaktus in 1920, bred by Stefan Walewski from Inczew, owned by the Polish Army. In 1931 and 1933 he won at Szosland PN in Warsaw. IO Amsterdam 1928, team silver. in jumping. He made one mistake at the Olympics. Rider Capt. K. Szosland – 2 points. penalties, XNUMXth place ind.
MYLORD (NN–NN)
Bred in Ireland. Its owner was captain. art. Józef Szilagyi. The army probably bought it from him before the games. IO Amsterdam 1928, team silver. in jumping. He made one mistake in the game. Rider Lt. K. Gzowski – 0/2 points. penalties in the match, XNUMXth place ind.
READGLEADT (NN – NN)
Bred in Ireland. It was owned by the Horse Sports Group. Ridden by various riders. In the 2nd half In the 20s he won several PN competitions. Calm and confident. IO Amsterdam 1928, team silver. in jumping. Rider Capt. M. Antoniewicz – 6 points. penalties, XNUMXth place ind.
Joseph Trenkwald
Soldier, rider, bronze medalist of the Olympic Games Amsterdam 1928, team eventing, Knight of the Virtuti Militari, Emperor Charles Cross, Cross of Valor.
DONNEUSE (NN–NN)
Olympic Games Amsterdam 1928, bronze team medal in eventing, under Lieutenant Colonel Karol Rómmel from the 1st Józef Piłsudski Light Cavalry Regiment.
LION'S CLAW (POGROM – UKRAINE II)
A horse of Polish breeding (Karol Skarbek), starting under Capt. Józef Trenkwald contributed to winning the bronze team medal in the eventing competition.
MY LOVE (RADWAN – GOOD)
It was there in 1928 that the captain Michał Antoniewicz-Woysym won the bronze team eventing medal during the Olympic Games in Amsterdam.
Kazimierz Suski de Rostwo
Soldier. Rider. Coach. Olympian at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris (7th place). Lt. Col. Commander of the 21st Vistula Uhlans Regiment (Battle of Mokra).
1928th Summer Olympic Games – Amsterdam, XNUMX
The Olympic Games in Amsterdam were the first Olympics where we won two team medals in show jumping - silver and bronze in eventing.
Leon Burniewicz
1939nd Vice-Champion of Poland in the Comprehensive Riding Horse Competition. Soldier, Trainer. Activist of the Polish Equestrian Association. Awarded the Medal for the War of XNUMX. Major of the Polish Army.
Władysław Belina-Prażmowski
Cavalry colonel of the Polish Army. Knight of the Order of Virtuti Militari. Commander of the first legion cavalry unit, the legendary "Belina's Seven".
Stanislaw Czerniawski
Cavalry Captain of the Polish Army, Olympian (Berlin 1936), Knight of the Order of Virtuti Militari. He died in defense of Poland on September 10, 1939 near Chruślin.
Cavalry Training Center
The cavalry training center of the Polish Army of the Second Republic of Poland in 1928-1939 in the Grudziądz garrison. It was the largest military training unit of this type in Europe.
Tadeusz Sokolowski
Soldier, sportsman, 3x MP medalist, 2nd vice-champion of the Army (1935), Olympian of the Olympic Games Berlin 1936 (Running II), 1937-39 head of the equestrian section of WKS Legia, Cichociemni tortured by the Gestapo in Minsk.
Jerzy Iwanowski
Soldier, cavalryman, horse breeder, officer of General Maczek's XNUMXst Armored Division. Creator of the Lipizzaner riding school in Johannesburg.
Michal Woysym-Antoniewicz
Major of the cavalry of the Polish Army, silver and bronze Olympic medalist in equestrian.
Seweryn Kulesza
Major of the Polish Army cavalry, Olympic silver medalist in equestrian (Berlin 1936). Polish Champion in eventing in 1936 and 1937, and in dressage in 1937.
Janusz Komorowski
Major of the Polish Army, sports equestrian, Olympian from Berlin, medalist of the Polish Championships in eventing. After the war, a horse riding coach in England and Argentina.
Jan Kazimierz Mikunas
Soldier, rider, teacher, trainer. Chevalier of the Order of Virtuti Militari. Polish vice-champion of eventing, Warsaw 1934.
Henryk Dobrzanski
Soldier, rider, Olympian. The last Polish commander of a Detached Unit during World War II. He died with a gun in his hand.
Casimir Szosland
Maj. Sergeant of the Polish Army, the leading Polish equestrian in the years 1923-1935, two-time Olympian (1924 and 1928 - silver).
Charles Rommel
Soldier, trainer, artist in painting, drawing and horse riding. Three-time Olympian (1912 - Stockholm, 1924 - Paris, 1928 - Amsterdam). He was active in KJK in Łódź (1937) and JLKS Sopot (after the war).
Adam Królikiewicz
The first Polish Olympic medalist - bronze medal, Olympic Games Paris 1924 (Picador horse).
Gallery:
Source: NAC.
