GTRK Tver (TV network)

After a five-year hiatus, the city of Tver hosted the Tver Autumn 2009 Russian Troika Championship on September 20, 2009 at its verst-long hippodrome track. Amateur jockeys from Tver and Tver Oblast participated in equestrian competitions for non-professionals.

Aleksandrit is the lead horse of Russia’s most famous troika from the Vesti news programme. A thoroughbred Orlov Trotter, Aleksandrit is a 17-year-old veteran. At the Championship of Russia he was awarded a new saddle cloth and officially retired to the Central Moscow Hippodrome. His successor Kanuk (with the same out-runners, Priz and Vitok) is a competitive leader.

Not just any Trotter can be used in a Russian troika. Acron jockey Alexander Pankov (Moscow) described the characteristics of a troika horse: “It must excel in pace and have good movements and colour. It must be loyal and very calm and obedient.”

The Russian troika is a national style of team driving that has no equivalent in the world. Spectators around Europe are enthusiastic about the beauty of Russian troikas and the expertise of their jockeys, but the only dressage competitions and races for troikas are held in Russia.  Five years after the last equestrian competition in Tver, its organizers decided to bring back the tradition of troika driving style at the Tver hippodrome.