pricelessland

 Hello!

The small village of Horka is spinning. traditional Whitsun tournament is coming up in the well-known equestrian Mecca . From May 26th to 29th Horka will be for the 29th time

the hotspot of the Saxon riding and driving scene for three days: around 400 riders and 500 horses are expected to take part in exciting competitions. A large supporting and evening program with a disco and shows completes the tournament spectacle. One of the special features that makes this tournament so remarkable: it is organized almost exclusively by volunteers . We at the ENO have the pleasure of working with one of these dedicated people - Lisa Bergmann (you already know attentive readers from the ZEITung für Heimat and the plusmimus blog (which can now be found blog.unbezahlbar.land , we present Lisa and her association , which, based on the motto " because we want to live here ", contributes a lot to the priceless quality of life in our district of Görlitz.

Hi Lisa!

You have been active in the association for 20 years and have been on the board for a long time. Can you briefly describe to us how you found your life with horses and how it came about that you do voluntary work in your free time?

Like almost 99% of little girls, horses have always fascinated me. My aunts and cousins ​​were also active in equestrian sports and so I sat on Pony Peter for the first time when I was three years old 😉. Wendy magazines and Co. did the rest and so I've been a member of the "Wehrkirch" Horka eV riding and driving club . At first I only attended the weekly riding lessons, but as I got older, the responsibility and the desire to get even more actively involved in the club grew. So I first became part of the youth leadership and have been a member of the board for almost 10 years now.

Voluntary work - an important keyword that some younger people are strangers to. We have a lot of volunteers in the district, but the youngsters don't really want to take over in many areas. Let's ask the other way round - not how much work it is to work for the association - but: what would you miss if you were no longer doing your volunteer work?

Above all, I would miss the work. volunteering is often associated with additional stress, but in the end there is nothing better than being able to look back on a successful event , being happy about a completed construction project or simply having a good time with like-minded people. Club life always has a lot to do with cohesion. This is where people with different professions, backgrounds and characters meet, all of whom have one thing in common. Everyone can get involved and make their individual contribution. That's just a beautiful thing. No association would be viable without voluntary commitment. You also benefit from your voluntary work yourself: friendship, support, recognition, personal experience, but also professional (further) education are things that I wouldn't want to do without anymore.

As in many other sports, equestrian sport is the best place to grow – but what if there is no horse fanatic in the family and everything with horses is labeled “expensive”, “exclusive” or “dangerous”? But the child has a huge interest in riding and the whole lifestyle around the riding stable? Can you refute these prejudices?

Although I have several family members who ride or own horses, my parents have nothing to do with horses. In the end, however, they registered me with the riding club and bought me basic equipment. Riding is certainly not known as a cheap sport, but you shouldn't compare our equestrian sports clubs in the country with the exclusive bacon-coated sports stables of the big cities.

What does it take to get your child started horseback riding?

To start horseback riding, you don't have to have your own horse and the most expensive equipment.
A riding helmet and sturdy shoes are absolutely sufficient for the beginning and are available from around €40. Many riding establishments also offer free introductory lessons, where you can first test whether riding is really the right sport for your child. In general, every sport, regardless of its type, involves the risk of accidents and injuries. Dealing with an animal is of course always associated with an additional risk. An attentive, prudent and above all horse-friendly handling in all situations can guarantee the necessary safety and minimize accidents. By the way: Statistically, most sports accidents happen in football 😉

You don't ride the tournament yourself. Is it too time-consuming to train for tournaments alongside your work at the ENO, or is it a world of its own anyway (to which you have to devote yourself completely?).

When I was young, I used to take part in competitions from time to time. But I had never developed a great ambition to get up at 4 a.m. every weekend and then go to the tournament. Tournament sport with horses is quite expensive, both in terms of time and money. So respect to everyone who pulls this off!

Can you tell us roughly what the monthly costs are if you want to take up horseback riding again (like me, for example, at an advanced age) or if you want to send your child to your riding school?

Here in Horka, exercise groups for children and young people take place six days a week . The costs for this amount to approx. 50 € per month. Included are the basic fee and the weekly riding lesson in a practice group. We are happy to make an individual appointment for adults. There, too, there is the opportunity to train in jumping and dressage or simply to relax on a horseback ride. A riding lesson costs between €15 and €40, depending on the level of training and the type of riding (lunge, indoor riding arena or terrain).

You are inviting to the 29th Whitsun tournament this year. What can visitors expect from you?

From Saturday to Monday, our guests can again look forward to dressage, show jumping and driving sport up to advanced level in a total of 47 different tests in four places.
With the Whitsun tournament, we are organizing one of the largest tournaments in Saxony and are again expecting around 400 riders from all over Germany as well as our neighboring countries Poland and the Czech Republic. In addition to equestrian sports, entertainment and physical well-being are also well taken care of. All families with children are also welcome to the bouncy castles, fairground rides and petting zoo. A special highlight is certainly the big show on Sunday afternoon on the jumping arena. After the Middle Ages and fairy tales, you may be curious to find out what the motto of this year's diagram will be. The sporting highlight on Monday is the Grand Prix of Horka, a jumping competition class S**. Pentecost in Horka is also more than just equestrian sport. From Friday to Sunday we also invite you to three evening events in the marquee. Several DJs will play here and make the dance floor shake. In addition, show dance formations present their latest choreographies. Those who prefer something more civilized are invited to brass band music on Monday afternoons. I think there is something suitable for everyone.

Thank you very much for the interview and the invitation, dear Lisa!

Will we see each other - in Horka?

Best regards

Your Jasna