Ferdinand's carriage. (source: TASR)
HORSES once were popular domestic animals in Slovakia but horse breeding has diminished in importance over recent years. So the 8th year of Kôň 2011, Slovakia’s international horse show, had as its goal the promotion of domestic horse breeding.
At the end of August, Trenčín’s Expo Centre hosted 21 horse breeders who presented their offspring. “Visitors were also able to see also the historical carriage that carried
[Hungarian] Archduke Franz Ferdinand when he was assassinated in Sarajevo, Mária Nemcová of the Expo Centre told the TASR newswire.
The accompanying programme included various kinds of horse races, shows of Furioso and Arabian breeds as well as less common breeds, and a parade of the winners along with new trends in horseshoeing. Other attractions included a presentation by the National Stud Farm in Topoľčianky and performances by the Topoľčianky Classical School, a vaulting show offered by students from the secondary school in Šaľa, Zuzana Hollá demonstrating dressage, a parade by mounted police officers, Zuzana Stašíková showing off her Western-style riding skills and the association called the Wandering Knights.
The exhibition was supported by several state and private organisations such as the Ministry of Agriculture, the Slovak Horse Breeders Association, the National Stud Farm in Topoľčianky and the Slovak Association for Rescue of Horses.
