FIRST TIME CHAMPION

FIRST TIME

AUTHOR: ANNAMARIA SOBIERAJSKA, ADRIANNA PROSTEK PHOTOS: SŁUŻEWIEC RACECOURSE

CHAMPION!

Interview with Champion Sanzhar Abaev

How long have you been in Poland?

I have been here for four seasons now.

What is your story about coming to Poland?

I worked in Russia, I really wanted to come to Poland and see what racing was like here. I heard about them from Lila Reznikova, who had been in Poland for many years and we worked together in Russia. However, it was coach Sergey Vasyutov who helped me with everything.

Did you know each other before?

No, we did not know each other before but I contacted him on the Internet. Sergey comes from Russia so I wrote to him.

Do you remember your first impressions after coming to Poland?

It was my dream, I wanted to see Polish racing. At the beginning I was afraid, a new country, different faith, language. But on the first day, when we arrived in Poland together with Sanzhar Altynbekov, we met Marlena Stanisławska, who gave us shelter during the first days of our stay. All she knew about me was through Lila Reznikova as they are friends. As I mentioned earlier, Lila and I had worked together in Russia. I calmed down because Lila assured me that Marlena would always be there to help us. The interesting thing is that we only spoke our native language and Russian. Marlena didn’t know to speak Russian but to be able to communicate with us, she learned very quickly.

Is there any person you learned the most from after spending 4 years here?

In Kyrgyzstan I took part in 20 races, from the age of 6, then in Russia and then I came to Poland. I didn’t think that I would be able to ride here as well, but it worked out. I first came here to work for trainer Małgorzata Łojek,

where I worked for over 3 years. This season I worked for Michał Borkowski, who gave me a chance to ride his horses when I was just at the beginning of my career and working for Małgorzata Łojek. It was Marlena, who is Michał’s assistant, who persuaded him to do so. My manager Marlena Stanisławska also helped me a lot, she explained a lot, at times things I didn’t understand, but she would say ’this is what you need to do Sancho’. She knows how to praise me, but she can also be strict. No matter what, I can always count on her.

After these 4 years, do you find it easy or difficult to ride here?

In some of the first races I didn’t know how to ride well, but trainers helped me a lot. They gave me opportunities to ride both good or weak horses. Every horse teaches us something different and, as they say, it is no big deal to win when you ride a favorite horse, but rather a less capable one. been with horses for 6 years and I don’t want to give up on them.

Would you like to continue working with horses in the future, for example, be a trainer?

I would like to be a trainer in my country.

Are there any riders that you learn riding from or are inspired by?

I admire jockey Ryan Moore from England. I keep watching his racing all the time. Moore is an older jockey now, but he still rides very well.

Are you thinking about racing anywhere else outside Poland?

Yes, but it’s a plan for now.

Is there anything else besides racing that you like to do in your free time?

After work I go running and I work out. Unfortunately, I broke my leg last year and can’t run anymore. Instead I go swimming and use the sauna.

Where would you like to go?

I am thinking about France or Germany. I had two assignments to Qatar and Bahrain, but I broke my leg and it didn’t work out. This year I was supposed to go to Qatar, but I have to go back home to my parents.

If you didn’t work with horses, what would you do?

Nothing else. I’ve taken up university twice now. I have

Thank you for the interview.

Thank you. I would like to thank everyone I worked with, both trainers and horse owners.