Historic Victory at the 17th National Gallop in Szilvásvárad

Zsuzsa Tóbiás of Decs (southern Hungary) won the final of the 17th National Gallop with her horse Galaxy on Sunday at the Lipica Equestrian Center in Szilvásvárad (northern Hungary).

Zsuzsa Tóbiás of Tolna County, who won the title of the fastest rider of 2024, received the National Gallop medal, an 1848 Hussar saber and a statue of Hussar András Hadik at the award ceremony. The laurel wreath was hung around her neck by Minister of Agriculture István Nagy.

Zsuzsa Tóbiás. Photo: MTI/Komka Péter

Galaxy made history, and can now claim to be a perpetual champion, as he won for the third time – the first time in the history of the National Gallop.

As last year, Tamara Vörös of Ácsteszér (northern Hungary) finished second in the final. Third place went to Lotti Rigó of Tahitótfalu (near Budapest), and fourth place went to Mercédesz Vámos of Bácskossuthfalva (Stara Moravica, Vojvodina, Serbia).

Zsuzsa Tóbiás (L), Tamara Vörös (C) and Lotti Rigó (R). Photo: MTI//Komka Péter

In the final of the Little Hussar Gallop, Jadviga Juharos of Pestszentlőrinc (Budpaest’s 18th district) won on his horse Kassim, while in the final of the Hussar Kids Gallop, Judit Rakottyai of Vasad (central Hungary) triumphed on her horse Little Lioness.

Photo: MTI/Komka Péter

The final of the international race was won by Stephen Heeley from the United Kingdom with his horse Neapolitano Nimrod. The rider from Slovakia, Atila Ocenas, finished second, and last year’s winner, Mahmoud Mohamed Jar Mohamed Raid of the Kingdom of Bahrain, finished third.

The riders competed on Lipizzaner horses, a breed indigenous to Hungary.

Stephen Heeley (L). Photo: MTI/Komka Péter

On Friday, an international race of mounted police officers from nine countries competed in several events. The most successful rider was Slovakia’s Atila Ocenas.

Photo: MTI/Komka Péter

This year’s event paid tribute to the former defenders of the homeland, the martyrs of Arad on the National Day of Mourning.

Photo: MTI/Komka Péter

Fact

The National Gallop is an annual historic horse race, aiming to be a cross-border, traditional festival of Hungarian heritage. The motif of the Hussar is strongly present in the event every year. The main goal of the event is to cultivate national traditions and to build bridges between the settlements and their inhabitants, between the Hungarian countryside and Budapest, and to re-elevate Hungary to the ranks of the equestrian nations. The focus of the program is on horses and equestrian sports, as well as the cavalry of different eras. The central element of the event is the eponymous “National Gallop,” for which every year around 100 municipalities enter their horses and riders. The National Gallop is open to all Hungarian municipalities, all communities from abroad and even individuals.

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