Equestrian Sport
The equestrian sport was revived in the Tambov province after the Civil
war. The destroyed and plundered Novotomnikovsky and Lavrovsky studs were
restored and the hippodrome resumed its activities. The students of the Tambov
United Cavalry School holding the Order of the Red Banner became
the first sportsmen-horsemen. In 1935 they formed a part of the
All-Union equestrian sport organization. A year later Tambov horsemen took
part and won in All-Union jockey contest in Rostov-on-Don. The Tambov hippodrome
became particularly famous for its Russian troikas, which took part in the race
contests on the Central Moscow hippodrome during the YI World Festival of Youth
and Students and the XX Summer Olympic Games in Moscow. In the 1950s Tambov
luxurious troika of trotters was on show at the Exhibition of National
Economic Achievements in Moscow. Nikita Khruschov and his American guest-
multimillionaire Sirus Iton went for a drive on this troika. Sirus Iton was so
delighted with the beautiful trotters that N. Khruschov presented them to him.
After a long recess in 1998 Tambov troika of trotters (Khrustal, Osiris,
Osnovnoy) took part in the draught-horse competitions, revived on the Central
Moscow hippodrome. The well-known coach Firs Sukortsev trained this troika.
In 1957 the first equestrian sport school of the sport society "Urozhai"
(Harvest) was formed at the Tambov state stable by the lieutenant-
colonel Vinogradov. The school sportsmen-horsemen scored big successes in
triatlon and breaking-in. In summer there was organized horse hire. In 1986
the equestrian sport school was placed by the private equestrian sport clubs
"Allur" (Pace), "Gallop" and "Maksat". Bred in the Tambov stubs, the trotters
always were notable for their sport achievements. Three times in succession
(1962-1964) Tambov horsemen took first places in zone competitions. This
success was repeated in the 1970s, when the All-Union Cup, the highest reward
of that time, had been turned over to the Tambov regional hippodrome museum
for keeping in perpetuity.
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