Despite the cog driving successes of the past generations, Szilvásvárad was last able to organize a four cog driving world championship in 1984.
Thanks to the investment, the Hungarian driving culture and the results, the International Equestrian Federation awarded Szilvásvárad the right to organize the four-wheel driving world championship for 2024, it was announced on the website of .
The timing is no coincidence, because this year the world's equestrian sport is celebrating the anniversary of the legendary 1984 championship in Szilvásvárad, where a Hungarian driver could stand on the top of the team podium as well as on all three steps of the individual podium.
In 1984, when the World Four-wheel Drive Championship II was held for the first time in Szilvásvárád. With the participation of Elizabeth's husband, Prince Philip, the British ruler at the time, the settlement underwent enormous development, almost all roads were paved, landline telephones were introduced, and life sprang up
László Szaniszló, the mayor of the village, recalls the event .
With the current arrangement, we are also commemorating the competition 40 years ago, this is also a significant event in the life of the settlement, but thanks to the developments of the last 10-20 years, we are already prepared to organize an event of such a volume and to welcome visitors
he adds.
The venue of the competition is the Lipica Equestrian Center in Szilvásvárad, handed over in 2018, where in recent years thousands of horses, representing more than 30 nations, have come to the Szalajka Valley, including five disciplines of equestrian sports. In addition, for the first time in the history of the universal horse culture, the breeding of a particular breed of horse was included in the list of UNESCO's intellectual cultural heritage thanks to the Lipizzan breed bred in Szilvásvárád.
September 4-8, 2024 between more than 250 horses with 50 teeth, representing as many continents of the world, will come to Szilvásvárad, so the event will be followed by millions worldwide.
Gear driving is the most popular equestrian sport in Hungary. The most popular event of the competition is the marathon drive held on Saturday.
Featured image: Facebook/State Menesgazdaság Szilvásvárad
