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Honorary Patron: Dagmara Misakiewicz-Ciupińska
Sponsor:
Guardians: Agata Duda
A soldier, a major, an artilleryman. A rider and a trainer. Honoured with, among others, the Cross of Valour three times. A winner of PN, New York 1926, Nice 1926, on Hamlet 2.20. (a runner up)
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MICHAŁ TOCZEK was born in Nozdrzec on 27 September 1889 in the family of Wojciech Toczek and Katarzyna Sochacka from home. He finished a primary school in his mother town. He loved horses from childhood. He grew accustomed to them and understood them.
Between 01 September 1901 and 27 May 1909, he was a schoolboy at the secondary school in Przemyśl where he was taught in Polish language. On 27 May 1909, he passed the secondary school finals. In the period between 01 October 1909 and 15 June 1913, he studied law at Jan Kazimierz’s University in Lvov. On 15 June 1913, he received a graduation of law. As a law graduate, he passed (with a good mark) two exams of law: a historical and a political one, and one state examination.
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Our hero belonged to an honourable circle of patriots that, according to Królikowski himself, not only competed expertly at Polish army in times of peace but also fought during a war if necessary; his breast covered with orders was the best evidence of this.
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His request – “Remember Poland whom we serve.” – addressed to compatriots in the United States, is still current.
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You can find the whole article and other sources at Polish Digital Equestrian Library (click)
Author: Agata Duda
Michał Toczek died in Przemyśl on October 30, 1971, at the age of 82.
He was buried at the Communal Cemetery in Zasanie (section 17, row 9, grave number 5).
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):
„Mjr Michał Toczek mistrz hipiki” (2021) – Agata Duda
„Majora Michała Toczka konna droga…” (2021) [fragmenty] – Agata Duda
„Polscy jeźdźcy olimpijscy okresu międzywojennego część II” (2019) – Hanna Łysakowska
„Polscy jeźdźcy olimpijscy okresu międzywojennego część I” (2018) – Hanna Łysakowska
„Michał Toczek” (2012) – Witold Duński
„Jeźdźcy-Olimpijczycy Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej” (2012) – Renata Urban
„Jeźdźcy olimpijscy” (2000) – Hanna Łysakowska
„Od Nicei do Nowego Yorku” (1927) – Adam Królikiewicz
See related articles:
First International Show Jumping Events in Warsaw – 1927
On 27/05/1927, a Hippodrome with bleachers for 5000 spectators was opened in Łazienki Królewskie. The arena was designed by Józej Główczewski (a designer of stables at Stallion Depots in Łąck and Białka) that was modelled after Monte Pincio Hippodrome in Rome.
Madison Square Garden – A White-Red Nations Cup on 25.11.1926
On 25 November 1926, Polish riders won the prestigious Nations Cup in New York. This success was treated as an emanation of the national spirit and a demonstration of Polish army power.
Gallery:
The first prize at International Show Jumping Event for Nations Cup, Warsaw 1927, the inventory number 2280/M. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
International Show Jumping Event in Nice. Major Michał Toczek during overcoming an obstacle, 1926, sign. 3/1/0/5/1031. A photo from the collection of National Digital Archive. 
The first prize at International Puissance Show Jumping Event, Milan 1926, the inventory number 2200/M. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw.
Polish riders at the ship Lapland. From left: cavalry captain Adam Królikiewicz, Maj. Michał Toczek, lieutenant Kazimierz Szosland, 1920s the inventory number F219/3. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
Grudziądz, Cavalry Training Centre, 1926. From right: 1. Michał Toczek, 2. Leon Kon, 6. Edmund Chojecki. In the central row: the 3rd from the right Henryk Dobrzeński, the 5th Zdzisław Zgorzelski. In the third row: the 1st from the right Kazimierz Szosland, the 4th Michał Antoniewicz, the inventory number F1026/2. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
A portrait of Michał Toczek, 1930s the inventory number F571/1. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
Preparations for the Olympic Games in Paris. Olympic Group at Central Riding School. Grudziądz. Major Michał Toczek on Hamlet, 1924, the inventory number A12a/115. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
Major Michał Toczek on Faworyt. Show Jumping Events, Nice 1926, the inventory number A12b/70. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
Polish Riders Team. From the left: Major Michał Toczek, lieutenant Kazimierz Szosland, the colonel Juliusz Kleeberg – the military attache in Paris (1923-1928), the cavalry captain Zdzisław Dziadulski, the colonel Sergiusz Zahorski, the cavalry captain Leon Kon, the cavalry captain Edmund Chojecki, the cavalry captain Henryk Dobrzański, the cavalry captain Adam Królikiewicz, the cavalry captain Michał Antoniewicz. Nice 1926, the inventory number A12b/71. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
Show Jumping Events for President Mościcki’s Cup From the left, on horseback: Michał Toczek, Michał Woysym-Antoniewicz; from the right: President Ignacy Mościcki with his wife. Warsaw, Pola Mokotowskie, 1920s. the inventory number F1030/1. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
Michał Toczek on Highborn, 1926, the inventory number F228. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
A cavalry captain. Adam Królikiewicz, cavalry captain Zdzisław Dziadulski, cavalry captain Michał Woysym-Antoniewicz, cavalry captain Henryk Dobrzański (“Hubal”), cavalry captain Edmund Chojecki, Major Michał Toczek, lieutenant Kazimierz Szosland, lieutenant Leon Kon, the instructor of the group, 1926, the inventory number F63/5. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
International Show Jumping Events in Warsaw. Hippodrome at Łazienki Królewskie 27/05 – 07/06/1927. You can see Major Michał Toczek; the inventory number A12/32. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
The first prize at the Show Jumping Event for Nations Cup, 1926, the inventory number 2227/M. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
The first prize for the handicap at steeple / Resursa Prize, Wielkopolski Bieg, Poznań 1927, the inventory number 2199/M. Photo: from the collection of Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw. 
Equestrian competition for the army championship in Warsaw. Major Michał Toczek jumps over the obstacle. Warsaw, July 20, 1926, the inventory number 3/1/0/7/1071. Photo: from the National Digital Archives (NAC).
