PL/EN

Honorary Patron: Polski Komitet Olimpijski, Polski Związek Jeździecki

Sponsor: Bartosz Adamus i Przemysław Shamac Konopacki – Adamus Equestrian

Guardians: Piotr Jan Woysym-Antoniewicz, Sports and Tourism Museum

A major of Polish Army cavalry, the silver and bronze Olympic medallist in horsemanship.

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He was born in Cracow on 07 July 1897.

He finished a grammar school and a Military Cavalry College. He studied law and administration at Jagielloński University for 6 semesters.

Then he joined up Austrian Army and participated the World War I. He was interned in Hungary; then he fought at Italian battle-front within 1st Regiment of Austrian Uhlans. After war, he returned to Cracow. On 22. 11. 1918, he joined up Polish Army (as 2nd Lt). Since 1.01. 1919, he served at 2nd Rokitniańscy Light Cavalrymen Regiment and participated in battles in Silesia (1921) and Pomerania, took part in Kiev offensive as well as in “marriage ceremony” between Poland and Baltic Sea. 1920).  After war, within the period 1924-29, he trained light cavalrymen and mounted riflemen at Cavalry Training Centre in Grudziądz, and between 1930 and 1934, he was a riding instructor. In 1936, he was appointed as a main horse inspector in Tarnopol.

On 21. 06. 1924, for his perfect riding skills, he was fastened upon a course for the Olympic team in Grudziądz. He started in Olympic Games only in Amsterdam in 1928 where he won two medals: a bronze one in the Team Three Days’ Event (with   K. Rómmel and J. Trenkwald) – they were placed third within 14 starters with their result of 5067. 92 points and a silver medal in the team show jumping competition (with C. Gzowski and K. Szosland) – they were placed second within 14 starters with their result of 8 points). Individually, she was placed 19th in Three Days’ Event (within 46 competitors, with his result of 1822,50 points) and 20th in show jumping (within 46 competitors, with his result of 6 points). He started on Moja Miła (Three Days’ Event) and Readglead (show jumping).

He participated in Nations Cup four times, where he triumphed twice – in New York (1927) and Warsaw (1928).
His sports career was interrupted by his accident during one of trainings (he was bowed down by his horse and the only rescue was an operation to remove his lung). After his long convalescence, he came back to high-performance sports.

In 1939, he fought in the battle-front. Until 1945, he was imprisoned at German camps at Kaiserslautern, Luckenwalde and Ganshagen. After the war, he domiciliated in U.S.A. where he worked as a coach. He married Zofia Brengosz.

He was honoured three times with Cross of Valour for his heroism during battles.

Author: Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki (Sport & Tourism Museum) in Warsaw


Michał Woysym-Antoniewicz died in Austin (Texas) on 1 December 1989, at the age of 92. He was buried 12/12/1989 in Forest Hill Memorial Park Lexington, Davidson County, North Carolina, USA (Grandview 106).


Polish Digital Equestrian Library:

Click the links below to go to the Polish Digital Equestrian Library (will open in a new tab):

„Michał Woysym-Antoniewicz 1897-1989” (2021) – Izabela Kiełmińska

„Jedna szkoła jazdy, różne losy” (2019) – Hanna Łysakowska

„Polscy jeźdźcy olimpijscy okresu międzywojennego część II” (2019) – Hanna Łysakowska

„Polscy jeźdźcy olimpijscy okresu międzywojennego część I” (2018) – Hanna Łysakowska

„Michał Woysym-Antoniewicz” (2012) – Witold Duński

„Jeźdźcy-Olimpijczycy Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej” (2012) – Renata Urban

„Trofea Michała Antoniewicza” (2009)

„Jeźdźcy olimpijscy” (2000) – Hanna Łysakowska

„Sport jeździecki w broniach konnych II Rzeczypospolitej” (1974) – Zygmunt Bielecki

„W obronie przez nas obranego systemu jazdy konnej” (1932) – Michał Woysym-Antoniewicz, Józef Trenkwald

„Od Nicei do Nowego Yorku” (1927) – Adam Królikiewicz

„Jeźdźcy-Olimpijczycy Drugiej Rzeczypospolitej” fragmenty – Renata Urban

Zdjęcia archiwalne związane z Legendą.


Gallery: