We uncovered the nature of the 2026 symbol. Visited the center of equestrian sport
Confidently and gracefully, we leap into the Year of the Horse. Journalists from the "Arshanskaya Gazeta" visited the Vitebsk Regional Olympic Reserve Center for Equestrian Sports and Horse Breeding, located in Baran, on the eve of 2026. They learned a lot of useful and interesting information about horses and how the center operates and what it lives for.
Maria Yusupova has been leading the sports institution since 2020, but she has been working here at the center for over 30 years.
– I can say that I was at the very origins of the creation of the center, – Maria Alexandrovna recounts. – I was both a coach and a zootechnician. My childhood dream of working with horses has come true. I purposefully enrolled in zootechnics after school, and later obtained a second higher education in the specialty of "equestrian sports coach".
Next year, the Olympic reserve center will celebrate its 20th anniversary since its founding. Before that, there was simply a section for equestrian sports here. Today, our holdings cover 150 hectares of land, with 62 horses housed in three stables, as well as 12 horses belonging to private owners under a care agreement.
More than 50 kids are engaged in the Olympic reserve center for equestrian sports and horse breeding. Mostly, these are girls. In the collection of successes and achievements, there are many awards of various merits. Among the latest achievements are second place in the team event at the Olympic Days and third place in the Spartakiad among children's and youth sports schools, as well as two first places in the individual standings in the same Spartakiad. The best athlete this year is Emilia Sinkovets with a horse named Gedemin, a participant in international equestrian competitions, who represented the Belarusian team at the Eurasian Youth Games in the Russian Federation.
All types of equestrian sports are cultivated here: show jumping, triathlon, and dressage. Preparation for competitions requires hard work from both the rider and the horse.
– Not all children stay in this sport, – explains Maria Yusupova. – After all, to achieve results, you must first love these animals with all your heart, find an approach to them, and learn to take care of them.
But we do not aim to make all the kids champions and great athletes. Communication with horses instills kindness, care, diligence, and responsibility in children. Therefore, the most important thing is to raise them to be kind and open-hearted people.
In the stable we visited, we saw several breeds of horses: Latvian, Budyonny, Hanoverian, and Russian riding horses. Each has its own temperament and character. For example, the pony named Wrangel is very temperamental and willful, the horse Hasan is majestic, calm, and balanced, Dolce Vita is calm, kind, and reliable, and Haylis is the champion of the Victory Cup stage in the "Light Class" category of triathlon.
– Horses are very good at sensing a person's mood, – Maria Yusupova says knowledgeably. – If you feel unwell or have anxiety, irritation, or excitement, it is better not to approach them. If you are afraid of an obstacle, you are unlikely to overcome it. This fear will be transmitted to your four-legged partner. It is important to remember that the actions and feelings of the rider play a significant role in the horse's behavior, so trusting relationships are essential.
Coach Danuta Sushko jokes that she grew up in the stable. She started practicing equestrian sports from childhood. She recalls that a friend brought her to the center. And that was it! Here she simply fell in love with horses and the atmosphere that surrounded her.
– I started training hard, competing in competitions, and then I went to study to become a coach. And now I have been working here for 10 years and do not regret my chosen path in life at all, – Danuta shares. – My horse's name is Darcy. She is still young, just in the process of being broken in.
Danuta's student Marina Vozmitel has been practicing equestrian sports for almost five years now.
– I come from a family dynasty of equestrian sports athletes. Like many who work here, I grew up in the stable. I absolutely love horses and taking care of them, – the girl admits.
Marina is in the 9th grade and plans to continue the family dynasty of equestrian sports coaches. She competes in open triathlon events and is already winning cups and competitions.
Equestrian sports are elegance and grace, but behind all this external beauty lies daily meticulous work. And the horses themselves are amazing animals.
Meeting and interacting with them fills you with unforgettable emotions: tranquility and inner strength. So, let’s leap into the New Year confidently and boldly!
Anastasia TUROK.
Photo by the author.