As part of responsible business, which includes the support of our colleagues in their leisure-time activities, the Voltiland civic association once again won the first place in our internal voting. A short interview with our SAP consultant Slávka will introduce us to a little bit to the mysteries of so demanding sport as equestrian vaulting certainly is.
When did you start with equestrian vaulting? Have you ever practiced it alone?
It was a long time ago, but I still remember :). I was 11 years old when I started with equestrian vaulting. I have always been interested in horses and I found myself in this beautiful sport. My husband came to my trainer club 3 years after me. So we both have the years of exercise and training together. However, I must say that we were not close to each other at the beginning. An injury ensured that my active sporting career as a team member ended sooner than I wished it. I was 17, but I did not give up on sports and since then I have been coaching, working with children and preparing equestrian vaulting horses in a club in Košice. My husband was more successful as a vaulter, he was a multiple champion of the Slovak Republic, he won the fourth place at the European Championships and the sixth place at the World Championships. After our studies, we both spent some time with horses in several countries, and we continue to work as coaches to this day. And since I have a slight horse addiction and it is my favourite relaxation, when I manage to steal a second for myself, I sit in the saddle and ride with pleasure even now.
When did the idea to set up the Voltiland civic association emerge and what led you to it?
Somehow life has brought it. Since horses are really our mutual love, my husband and I have always dreamed of our own horse, our own farm, club … We needed to mature into it all. And as children got a little older, we took courage and bought our first horse Tea. Then things somehow progressed. The first people interested in training appeared, including the ambition to race. The first year we competed under the name of another club. After the season, however, we decided to set up our VOLTILAND and try it out to the fullest.
How many children do you have in the club? Is there any age limit for equestrian vaulting
We have 8 registered active vaulters. These are children who also race. However, we are working with a significantly larger number of children and young people. Since we are also doing exercises for little children aged from 3 who cannot or do not want to race yet, we also teach children to ride classically in the saddle. Equestrian vaulting has no age restrictions. But my experience is that children should be at least 5 – 6 years old. Therefore, we do individual exercises with younger children, where we take care of the child individually. Group training already requires some discipline, the ability to concentrate and work together.
Do you lead your children to equestrian vaulting?
I must confess that I was always saying that my children would not practice equestrian vaulting. Because I knew what a challenging sport it was. But when my husband and I started training our Teo, they had no choice. We both went to the horses, so they also had to. In fact, they helped us get the horse used to equestrian vaulting. Fortunately, they still enjoy this sport and are doing well. When they grow up and decide for something else, I will let them go their own way. However, I believe that sport is very important for children’s development, so I try to lead them to active sports.
Do you have any comments for parents who like this beautiful but dangerous sport? What are the options in Slovakia?
Every parent is scared. I’m scared too. But a child can also get hurt at home by falling from the couch. I remember my childhood friend breaking her toe when she stubbed her toe on a duvet … If your son or daughter is talking about horses at home, let them enjoy them. You don‘t just give them sports, you give them a four-legged friend, you give them lots of wonderful experiences, the opportunity to overcome themselves, the opportunity to learn responsibility for a living being. And maybe a lifelong passion, as it is my case. It must also be said that equestrian vaulting is also an ideal start for future riders, as the child learns, among other things, balance, confidence, readiness in vaulting, and then he or she does better in the saddle. There are currently about 9 registered clubs in Slovakia. Most of them in the west, for instance, in Šaľa, Ivanka pri Dunaji, Bratislava, Trnovec nad Váhom, you just have to choose.
What does work with children mean to you? Is it relaxation in a way?
It’s really relaxing for me. During training, I turn off my head, I don‘t have to arrange my tasks, duties for a while, I‘m present and I enjoy those moments. Children are really great at how they can return the energy we put into working with them. Their progress and personal achievements are a little bit mine and we can look forward to them together. Through my work with children I try a little bit to return to what was given to me. I would like to further pass on all the experience I have gained thanks to equestrian vaulting.
How do you see support from gd-Team? Were you surprised at how your colleagues voted and that you won the 1st place again?
I am incredibly grateful to our company for their support. As a small and young civic association, it is very difficult to find support and we basically finance everything from our funds. I appreciate the support by gd-Team all the more. For us, every euro is really a great help. And since we are currently working hard to build our own complex, which we are basically developing on a “green field”, the win was actually very useful. We owe all the colleagues who voted for us a great deal of thanks for this. I never thought they would show us favour again in such large numbers. I was sincerely pleased and surprised. Even such “moral” support is a great encouragement to me and gives me the strength to continue when I have to arrange many things. Maybe that’s how we make the world a better place together.
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