Veterinary student represents UPWr at World Reining Championship Young Riders

• The World Reining Championships Young Riders coincided with the exam session, but the deans helped Alicja to represent Poland and the university in Switzerland, by giving her other exam dates.
• Reining is a style of horsemanship derived from the need for horses to be used by americans working on farms and ranches.
• Alicja Olejnik: – Taking part in this championship is both my success and that of my coach Marek Miśek.

The World Reining Championships Young Riders took place from 3-8 July in Givrins, Switzerland, where Alicja Olejnik represented the university.

A bumpy road to the championship

–I got the news about qualifying for the World Reining Championships Young Riders back in spring. I was very happy, but the smile from my face was quickly wiped away by the date of the competition. It turned out that the championships coincided with the exam session. Fortunately, I was helped by the Vice-Dean, Professor Bożena Króliczewska, and with the consent of the Dean, Professor Stanisław Dzimira, I managed to reschedule my exams so that I could leave – says Alicja, emphasising that after finding out she qualified, she was not only happy but very surprised. – I really wasn't expecting this, because I finally qualified after many years of efforts and training – says Alicja.

There is a lot of preparation for a championship of this stature: endless paperwork, the right equipment and, of course, the horse itself. - It's a funny story too, because the horse I was competing on has only been with us for a short time. Although we had only just bought him, my trainer urged me to take him to the championship, because he knew he was definitely better than my current horse. So, we had no choice but to quickly get along, as things didn't go well at our first competition. But today, after a month of riding together, it's going well – Alicja laughs.

What is reining?

Reining is western-style dressage. It's a style of riding that originated from the need for horses to be used by americans while working on farms and ranches. Compared to the classical, so-called English, style of riding, western riding differs in the way the horse is trained and ridden, as well as in the riding equipment and attire. – We ride in jeans, shirts and hats or helmets – says Alicia.

Riding in this style is done with completely loose reins in subtle and gentle communication with a perfectly trained horse. Throughout the training period, the horse is taught to respond to lighter and lighter pulls on the reins and gradually the hands are brought closer and closer to the horse. It's the relationship between horse and rider what counts.

Western riding competitions can be divided into three groups: technical, speed and cattle competitions.

Technical competitions include reining. In these competitions, the most important thing is demonstrating the horse's technical abilities and the accuracy of the performance. – The rider enters the arena with seventy points, points are deducted for every mistake and points are added for a job well done. Today, the judges even pay attention to whether the horse performs a task with pleasure. This makes riding even more ethical – says Alicia.

Typical horses used in Western riding are the Quarter Horse, Paint Horse, Palomino, Pinto or Appaloosa.

A long-standing passion

Alicja Olejnik has been riding horses since she was a little girl. – A friend of my parents had a horse and stable. As a child, I rode him at a riding school and later with my dad on different tracks. However, I always preferred the riding school. It wasn't long before the decision was made to buy my own horse. My current trainer, who is a friend of my dad's, sold us his horse because my dad wouldn't buy an animal from anyone else. So, after a few years of riding and a short adventure in jumping, I started to get more and more into western riding. And after going to camp with my current trainer there was no turning back. I fell in love with this style of riding. I liked the atmosphere. It's completely different to, for example, classic competitions, where the atmosphere can be tense. And at my first reining competition I was met with a warm welcome and the help from others, because I didn't have a coach at that time. But after a long search we went back to my dad's friend Marek Misiek and I've been training with him ever since. We spend time with each other even outside the stable, which helps to build a better bond and more trust. I value him very much, not only as a great trainer but also as a family friend – says Alicja.

– I wouldn't have got this far without him. I consider him more of a family member than "just" a coach. I can always count on his support, and the hours we spend together in numerous training sessions and analysing each run are irreplaceable – I am very grateful to him. Taking part in this championship is both my success and that of my coach – she adds.

Alicja Olejnik is a second-year veterinary student. In the future she wants to work with horses and combine her passion for riding with clinical work.  – I love these animals. I can't imagine my life without horses– Alicja concludes with a smile.

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