Rolling in Budapest Cultural information in English … Hear everything first hand

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The 18th National Race will be held between October 3-4-5, 2025.

The organizers chose an 18-year-old hussar as the historical face of the 18th National Cavalry.

Order of the National Gallop preliminaries has been drawn on the 16th of September, 2025. Budapest.

Amd today, the order of the participants in the adult preliminaries of the National Gallop was drawn at the National Riding School – Budapest. This year, the qualifying races were held in 7 Hungarian and 4 foreign settlements. At the last Preliminary Race on Sunday, the list of horse-rider pairs starting at the October National Gallop finals was completed. A total of 60 adult riders from 15 settlements will take part in the October event in 15 preliminaries. Kristóf Szotyori Nagy – competition director of the National Gallop, said Q.: “More than 100 riders will take part in the three-day equestrian festival at Szilvásvárad between October 3-5. In the adult category previously the order of the preliminaries had been drawn. Results: 60 horse-rider pairs, 16 of the 10-13-year-old hussar children, and 28 of the 14-17-year-old hussars will take part. In the stadium of the Lipizzaner Equestrian Center in Szilvásvárad, 4 riders will start at the same time, so the 60 adult riders who qualify for the semi-finals will start in 15 preliminary races. The following order of the adult riders was determined by drawing lots in the presence of a notary. The final races will be broadcast live on Hungarian Channel – Duna TV from 3 p.m. on the 5th of October. The program of all three days will be available to follow live through m4sport.hu.

At the press gathering as a reminder from the past was told, which was a glimpse into the background to the “Huszar Age” … Pál Ráday – the hussar who always faced the odds.

Continuously was said Q.:” … “There were few officers of the 1848-49 War of Independence who looked danger in the eye as many times as Major Pál Ráday, one of the company commanders of the legendary Károlyi Hussars. The legend does not sit on the podium of military history, but anyone who loves horses, daring and the world of hussars should know about him. Although he came from the count branch of the Ráday family, he did not choose the salons of Buda, but the battlefield. His passion for hussarship was evident at a young age, and by the summer of 1849, as a major, he led an entire division into an attack his cavalry – often against multiple superior forces.The Károlyi Hussars were not a parade formation. They rode 40-50 kilometers a day, often on muddy, impassable roads, in rain, in heat – while always having to be ready for a sudden attack. Ráday’s men followed him, because he did not give orders, but set an example in equipment and training, in marching and in battle. It was impressive to them how he galloped in front of their line with drawn sword, leading their charge, the legendary hussar charge. The summer of 1849 was about the retreats of the Hungarian army, but Ráday’s name always appeared where sudden action was needed. From the battlefield of Komárom through the Hernád valley, all the way to Arad. On one occasion, somewhere in the Trans-Tiszanian Róna, he set out on a reconnaissance with only ten hussars, but they approached the Russian outposts with such loud trumpets and clouds of dust that they were completely overwhelmed by the Russian outposts. They retreated, believing that the whole regiment was coming. After the surrender of Világos, the Arad court-martial imposed a severe sentence on the hussar officer, who had just turned 19 and 12 years in prison. He was initially imprisoned in Arad, then in the Josefstadt fortress, from where he was released in the first wave of pardons. Retreating to their estate, he only took office after the compromise, firmly adhering to the principles of ’48. Pál Ráday was one of the most daring officers of the Hungarian hussars. If he were alive to-day the Young Pál Ráday would certainly be galloping within the final of the National Gallop in the saddle, with a sword, against the wind.“

Tickets for the three-day National Gallop can be purchased online at Jegymester: https://jegymester.hu/event-host/618/nemzeti-vagta

While supplies last, tickets for the largest amateur equestrian competition in Central and Eastern Europe can also be purchased on the spot … Lipizzaner Equestrian Center @ Village of Szilvásvárad, during the event.

Hope readers enjoyed the A/M background information and hopefully will be present at the National Gallop Day(s).

Riport and snaps by Aggie Reiter