THE RUSSIAN DEBUT IN THE GREAT BRITAIN

Just a year ago it was hard to imagine that our disabled children would be able to take part in an international competition in dressage. And all of a sudden in April this year the seminar I.P.E.C. changed this situation. Our sportsmen from The Living Thread received an invitation with generous support the Russian Insurance National Society and "Russkii Dom" companies as well as British Airways (which provided free tickets for our team).

Iliya Shulga the youngest participant of the 4thWorld Championship in dressage among the disabled in 1999.

And here we are, in the most beautiful place in England near Birmingham with its as old as 13-14th centuries little houses, the famous White and Black. There are a lot of farms far-famed for its hops, the Hereford cows and apple orchards used for cider production.

The competition took place at Hartptory, the biggest non state agricultural College, something like our Timiriazevskaia Academy. The College has very good stables, fields for grassing, maneges and parade-grounds.

Two days were to try the horse at an Equestrian School of Sue Adams Wheeler who lives not far from the place of the Championship. The more difficult task was to find an appropriate temp and rhythm for the Kur music that was chosen in Moscow.

Then we and horses went to the place of the Championship which lasted for two days.

The First days was dedicated to the Open Championship of England on the tree fields and in manege (the Kur). All participants were divided into teams. 2 Russians sportsmen together with 2 English ones. Elena and Ilia rode in the 2nd subgroup and they too the 5th and 6th place out of 8.

On the second day there was held the National Championship in which our sportsmen took part as well. Ilia rode a new program for himself, on a grass field and took the 7th place out of 23 riders. This day the competitions were on 6 fields simultaneously including 2 on the grass one and one Kur in manege.

For the first time a Russian judge worked on the International Competitions in dressage among the disabled. Tatiana Kulikovskaya, who trains our sportsmen, was offered to take part in judging on the Championship. She did her work excellent.

At the end of the Championship there was a beautiful Ceremony of Honours.

It is worthy to particularly mention the excellent condition of the horse keeping. Each horse worked no more than 50 minutes a day during the Championship.