PL/EN
Honorary Patron: Polski Związek Jeździecki
Sponsor:
Guardians: Paulina Kucharska
Son of a cavalryman, a soldier from 25th Regiment of Uhlans of Great Poland. 13 times medallist of Championships of Poland in dressage and show jumping. The first Pole who prepared a horse for competitions of Grand Prix class. A coach of Polish Olympic Team for Olympic Games Moscow 1980 that won a gold medal (individually) and a silver medal (as a team). A graduate of Coach Study Centre at Academy of Physical Education in Poznań.
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Born at Wygoda estate near Janów in 1926 as a son of Aleksander and Zofia. His father was a cavalryman, a soldier from 25th Regiment of Uhlans of Great Poland.
A future champion started working with horses quite prosaically – from an agricultural labour. As a young boy (6. class of a primary school), he led horses out to meadows on the river Bug. He used to ride bareback and work as a harvester. In 1939, the World War II outbreak occurred. The herd and the stud farm were evacuated towards Romania to duck Germans. On 17th September, Russians attacked Poland, so the horses came back home after 2 weeks of march to avoid capture by Russians. Efforts of our grooms to rescue the herd and the stud farm failed because just after 2 weeks, Russians grabbed all horses and moved on Caucasus together with them. Later on, a border with Germany was settled on Bug River and the horses were left on Russian side. During German occupation, Germans redeveloped a horse breeding at Janów.
In 1941, Kowalczyk started working as a groom. Then German-Russian conflict outbreak occurred. In 1944, the front moved towards Poland and the horses were evacuated far inside Germany. During the war, he survived bombing of Dresden where he was together with the herd.
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Author: Paulina Kucharska
You can find the whole article and other sources at Polish Digital Equestrian Library (click)
You can find links below to related materials in Polish Digital Equestrian Library.
Marian Kowalczyk died in Poznań on 29th August 2017, aged 93. He was buried at a cemetery at Nowina street in Poznań.
Polish Digital Equestrian Library:
Click the following links to go to related materials in Polish Digital Equestrian Library (they will open in a new page):
„Encyklopedia Mariana Kowalczyka” (2022) – Paulina Kucharska
„Marian Kowalczyk” (2012) – Witold Duński
„Marian Kowalczyk. Chcieć, nie udawać, że się chce” (2010) – Piotr Dzięciołowski
„Polscy Jeźdźcy na Igrzyskach Olimpijskich w latach 1912-1976” (1980) – Antoni Święcki
„Mistrzostwa Europy w skokach, Rotterdam 1979” (1979) – Władysław Byszewski
„Zagraniczne występy skoczków w sezonie wiosennym” (1980) – Krzysztof Koziarowski
„XXII Igrzyska Olimpijskie Moskwa” (1980) – Eryk Brabec
IO Moskwa 1980 – Puchar Narodów i Grand Prix [RU] | FILM
„Jan Kowalczyk i Artemor” (1980) – Antoni Święcicki
Jan Kowalczyk – Artemor – IO Moskwa 1980 | FILM
Moskwa 1980 – Jan Kowalczyk – Wywiad | FILM
„Nie żyje Marian Kowalczyk” [link] (2017)
Recordings (In Polish):
A self-training horse:
Marian Kowalczyk`s horses:
Marian Kowalczyk about working with horses:
About Pedros:
Related articles:
XXII Summer Olympic Games – Moscow 1980
The Olympic Games where Polish horsemanship achieved the best results. 29 July 1980 – silver team medal (Jan Kowalczyk – Artemor; Marian Kozicki – Bremen; Janusz Bobik – Szampan; Wiesław Hartman – Norton). 03 August 1980 – individual gold Olympic medal – Jan Kowalczyk on Artemor.
Jan Kowalczyk
Jan Kowalczyk, coming from Cieszyn region, a sportsman, the greatest talent in the post-war history of Polish horsemanship. The Olympic champion and the runner-up – Moscow 1980.
ARTEMOR (Eros xx – Artemiza)
Artemor – with his help, Jan Kowalczyk won Olympic gold and silver medals in ind. and team show jumping competitions (Moscow, 1980).
Gallery:
Marian Kowalczyk and Bagalpur. Bucharest 1957 
Marian Kowalczyk on Pregor. Nice 1958 
Marian Kowalczyk during dressage training. 
2017 – a celebration of 200th anniversary of Janów Podlaski Stud Farm – unveiling of a commemorative tablet “Olympic Games Moscow 1980 – Artemor and Jan Kowalczyk”. Photo: Eugeniusz Warmiński. 
From left: Marian Kowalczyk and Jan Kowalczyk. Unveiling of a commemorative tablet “Olympic Games: Artemor and Jan Kowalczyk” dedicated to winning a gold medal (individually) and a silver medal (as a team). Olympic Games Moscow 1980. 
From left: Wacław Pruchniewiecz, Anna Bober, Marian Kowalczyk, Jan Kowalczyk,
Artur Bober and Artur Bieńkowski.
Jan Kowalczyk, Artur and Anna Bober. Unveiling of a commemorative tablet “Olympic Games: Artemor and Jan Kowalczyk” founded by Agencja Jeździecka A.A. Bober and Polish Equestrian Legends Project. 
From left: Anna Bober, Marian Kowalczyk, Jan Kowalczyk, Sławomir Pietrzak, Witold Strobel and Artur Bober 
From left: Anna Bober, Marian Kowalczyk, Jan Kowalczyk, Artur Bober, Artur Bieńkowski and Stanisław Chomiczewski. 
Witold Strobel hands over KOWR prize to Marian Kowalczyk. 
Witold Strobel hands over KOWR prize to Marian Kowalczyk. 
Jan Kowalczyk and Artemor, IO Moscow 1980 
Marian Kowalczyk receives the award of the President of the City of Poznań, 2017. Photo Grzegorz Dembiński.
From the collection of Ms Paulina Kucharska.
