Kashubian Association for the Promotion of Equestrian Sports

The Kaszubskie Stowarzyszenie Promowania Sportów Konnych (KSPSK), or Kashubian Association for the Promotion of Equestrian Sports, is a nationwide Polish association with legal personality, operating throughout the Republic of Poland. It was officially registered in January 2012, growing out of the earlier Klub Jeździecki "Calimero" (Calimero Riding Club), which had been founded in the Chojnice County area at the end of the 20th century on the initiative of Rene Burakowski. After more than a decade of promoting its riders domestically and abroad, the founder decided to broaden the activity and support regional development through the promotion of equestrian sports, leading to the creation of KSPSK. The association is based around an equestrian center located in Kwiekach / Sienica, in Chojnice County within the Pomeranian Voivodeship. Its statutory goals are wide-ranging: developing and running the equestrian center; organizing horse breeding on a scientific basis to reach the highest level; promoting horse breeding in agritourism farms and using horses for equestrian tourism in Poland and abroad; promoting equestrian sports, agritourism and recreation; preserving and spreading national traditions related to equestrianism and horse breeding; training and selecting animals for equestrian sports, horse tourism, agritourism and recreation; raising the qualifications of members and collaborators; and providing education in equestrian sports, riding and horse breeding. The association also supports economic development and entrepreneurship in the equestrian sector, promotes technical innovation, develops physical culture especially among children and youth, helps young people from disadvantaged or pathological backgrounds through riding-related activities, and activates older and professionally inactive people. Between 2012 and 2017 the association organized more than 100 competitions of various kinds at both national and international level. These included eliminations for the World Championships for Young Horses, the Polish Championships for Amateurs and Professionals in Carriage Driving, the Northern Polish Championships, the Polish Young Horse Championships, the National Youth Olympiads for Young Horses, and events in the Polish Cup series in eventing (WKKW). Competitions are held in the core Olympic equestrian disciplines recognized by the International Equestrian Federation (FEI): show jumping (S – Saut d'obstacles), eventing (C – Concours complet / WKKW), dressage (D – Dressage) and carriage driving (A – Attelage). Riders who have competed in the association's colors include Marcin Burakowski (2012, 2017), Leoni Retzlaff (2012 – present), Bartłomiej Kwiatek (2012), Tomasz Miśkiewicz (2013 – present, including club representation at the World Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium), and Kamil Rajnert in eventing (2017 – present). The association has received regional recognition, including the Młyńskie Koło award from the mayor of Czersk in 2012, and several "Achievements of the Year" / "Event of the Year" awards for the promotion of the Chojnice region in 2012, 2015 and 2016. It maintains an official website at sporty-konne.pl.

The origins of the Kaszubskie Stowarzyszenie Promowania Sportów Konnych lie in the Klub Jeździecki "Calimero" (Calimero Riding Club), established at the end of the 20th century in Chojnice County on the initiative of Rene Burakowski. Over more than a decade the club successfully promoted its riders both in Poland and abroad. After this period, the founder decided to expand the scope of activity and to support the development of the region in the field of promoting equestrian sports. In January 2012 the Kaszubskie Stowarzyszenie Promowania Sportów Konnych was officially registered as a nationwide association with legal personality. From its base at an equestrian center in Kwiekach / Sienica, the association set out a broad statutory program. It committed itself to developing and running the equestrian center, organizing horse breeding on scientific foundations, promoting horse breeding in agritourism farms and the use of horses in equestrian tourism at home and abroad, and promoting equestrian sports, agritourism and recreation. Further goals included preserving and disseminating national traditions connected with equestrianism and horse breeding, training and selecting animals for sport, tourism and recreation, raising the qualifications of members and collaborators, and providing education in riding and breeding. The association also declared support for economic development and entrepreneurship in the equestrian sector, the spread of technical innovation, the development of physical culture especially among children and youth, assistance to young people from pathological environments and poor families through riding-related meetings and camps, and the activation of older and professionally inactive people. Competition organization became a central part of the association's work. Between 2012 and 2017 it organized more than 100 competitions of various kinds at both national and international level. Among these were eliminations for the World Championships for Young Horses, the Polish Championships for Amateurs and Professionals in Carriage Driving, the Northern Polish Championships, the Polish Young Horse Championships, the National Youth Olympiads for Young Horses, and events in the Polish Cup series in eventing (WKKW). The competitions covered the fundamental Olympic equestrian disciplines recognized by the International Equestrian Federation: show jumping (Saut d'obstacles), eventing (Concours complet / WKKW), dressage (Dressage) and carriage driving (Attelage). A number of riders have competed in the association's colors. Marcin Burakowski appeared in 2012 and 2017; Leoni Retzlaff has ridden for the association from 2012 onwards; Bartłomiej Kwiatek competed in 2012; Tomasz Miśkiewicz has been active since 2013, including club representation at the World Championships for Young Horses in Lanaken, Belgium; and Kamil Rajnert has competed in eventing since 2017. The association's activity has been recognized regionally. In 2012 it received the Młyńskie Koło award from the mayor of Czersk. Also in 2012, the Kwiekach equestrian competitions were named Event of the Year in the "Achievements of the Year 2012" awards for the promotion of the Chojnice region. In 2015, the opening of the equestrian sports season and the national dressage competition in Kwiekach received the Event of the Year award for the promotion of the Chojnice region in the "Achievements of the Year 2015" program. A further Event of the Year award followed for the series of equestrian events in Kwiekach, listed under "Achievements of the Year 2016." The association maintains an official website at sporty-konne.pl.

• 2017

  By this year the association had organized more than 100 national and international competitions since 2012.

• 2016

  Series of equestrian events in Kwiekach named Event of the Year for promotion of the Chojnice region.

• 2015

  Opening of the equestrian sports season and national dressage competition in Kwiekach named Event of the Year for promotion of the Chojnice region.

• 2012

  Kaszubskie Stowarzyszenie Promowania Sportów Konnych officially registered in January.

• 2012

  Received the Młyńskie Koło award from the mayor of Czersk.

• 2012

  Kwiekach equestrian competitions named Event of the Year for promotion of the Chojnice region.

A regional-rooted but nationwide Polish equestrian association combining competitive horse sport, breeding, education and rural tourism promotion.

• Equestrian competitions (show jumping, eventing, dressage, carriage driving)

• Equestrian center in Kwiekach / Sienica

• Horse breeding programs

• Equestrian tourism and agritourism promotion

• Training and education in equestrian sports

1. 1Kaszubskie Stowarzyszenie Promowania Sportów Konnych – Wikipedia (Polish)pl.wikipedia.org
2. 2Kaszubskie Stowarzyszenie Promowania Sportów Konnych – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Official websitesporty-konne.pl