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The Ministry of Sports can officially recognize Russian triples competitions as the ninth national sport and include them among those being developed at all-Russian level. The idea of integration was warmly supported by the Committee of National and Non-Olympic Sports of Russia. What are Russian troikas and why are these competitions worth seeing live?
There were and are no analogues in the world
The main feature of the Russian troika is the multi-gaited harness. Korennik (the so-called central, strongest horse) walks at a fast, sweeping trot. He sets the pace and direction. It’s as if he’s being “carried” by the galloping harnesses – light, fast, helping the rootman to drag the carriage and maneuver it. In such a combination, horses get tired more slowly and maintain a high speed over a long distance — up to 50 km/h. Not a single unnecessary detail, 200 years ago our people thought through everything to the smallest detail.
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Today triple competitions have two directions — figure riding and speed races.
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“There are several organizations that organize competitions and celebrations with the participation of Russian troikas. Most of them rely on enthusiasts who joke: “How to become a millionaire? To do this, the billionaire needs to take care of Russian troikas,” said Marina Velikanova, president of the Society of Carriage Riding Fans.
In Sokolniki there is a Museum of the Oryol Trotter and Russian Troika, where unique exhibits are collected and there is its own stable. They rent Russian troikas for holidays and filming.The society of carriage riding enthusiasts has existed for 11 years and has held more than 30 tournaments, including the Russian Championship among Russian troikas.
At the same time, the fundamental position of society is to refuse racing. This allows you to significantly expand the circle of competition participants. Everyone who is trying to preserve Russian troikas in Russia takes part in them. After all, these are not only trotters who cover a lap around the hippodrome in two minutes, but also horses of the Belarusian draft breed, and Vyatka, and simply outbred. The same ones who worked in postal carriages for many years. And the Oryol trotters are the elite, which until the middle of the 19th century did not even go on sale and did not participate in fair festivities for the common people.
For the Society of Carriage Driving Fans, Russian troikas are, first of all, an element of national culture and tradition. Why isn’t it a full-fledged sport yet? According to Marina Velikanova, competitors with equal opportunities should compete in sports. If you use an American trotter, which is faster than the Oryol trotter, as a breeder, the result will be predictable. Just like the Vyatka troikas cannot compete on equal terms with the Oryol trotters. Today, only at the only hippodrome in Altai can harness several troikas of horses of the same breed. In addition, racing horses are used as harness horses at races, and this initially gives an advantage.
And yet, using the word “championship” is not a marketing ploy. At tournaments organized by the Society of Carriage Riding Fans, trios compete, but not in the mode of racing around the hippodrome, but in the skill of the riders. In professional terminology, figure riding is called city riding. The trios must navigate an obstacle course that simulates real-life conditions, from driving down a winding road to driving into a barn. Competitions also include avoiding obstacles, pushing the carriage back and other elements that allow one to demonstrate the skill of the rider, and not the agility of the horses.
Another most important criterion in Russian troika competitions is style and beauty. Each crew must have its own «trick». “Gypsy” troikas on horses of the Belarusian draft breed, “robber” troikas on mongrel breeds, and “imperial” troikas on Orlov breeds take part in the tournaments. Costumes, selected music and harness are judged based on eight criteria. If we draw analogies with big sports, then this is not skating, but ice dancing.
Russian troika competitions are similar to sports in that they clearly regulate the route. There is no doping control, which in equestrian sports is carried out not so much for riders as for their four-legged partners. But veterinary supervision is very strict. By decision of veterinarians, two horses were not allowed to participate in one of the last tournaments.
Huge potential and official recognition
The Committee of National and Non-Olympic Sports of Russia is developing fun and traditions similar to Russian troikas in our country. According to the president of the Society of Carriage Driving Fans, fans of the Russian troika would be happy to join it. After all, the troika is a symbol of Russia, but even at the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Sochi it was not present. Funding at the federal level would give a new impetus to the development of this sport. There is a strong team of professionals, there is a development philosophy, even sponsors, mainly stud farms.
In Western Europe, competitions involving “fours”, which were once used there for postal transportation, are very popular. The President of the Society of Carriage Riding Fans has an idea to organize races on a marathon distance — for example, on a stretch between two postal stations of the 19th century, between Russian troikas and European «fours». Do you have doubts who will win? Only for such races, as well as for the recognition of Russian troikas as a national sport, counter steps are needed from functionaries. For starters, the leaders of the Committee of National and Non-Olympic Sports of Russia.
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“The Russian Troika itself is an important cultural symbol, an object of national heritage and part of our history,” said Igor Pavlyuk, Advisor to the President of the KNNVS. “It is a great success that thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts, the history of the Troika as a phenomenon is not just alive, but continues to develop. I would note , that in addition to the sports component, the troika has enormous potential in terms of entertainment.»
According to the president of the KNNVS of Russia, the committee is open to all sports, and native Russian sports are now especially needed by the sports community .
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“We consider it important to promote our culture and sport,” Pavlyuk emphasized. “Our main task is to integrate new disciplines, provide comprehensive support, help expand the audience. Official recognition as a sport and inclusion to the All-Russian Register of the Ministry of Sports is a complex multi-stage process. But this path is well known and understandable to us, we are ready to be a guide and move along it together.»
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