Horse racing is gaining in popularity in Lithuania. Individual enthusiasts of this kind of sports grudge neither time nor money to make Lithuania prominent in the world of sport horse breeding. One of such enthusiasts is Gediminas Gutkauskas, manager of the largest private sport horse club Miraþas in Lithuania. Gediminas Gutkauskas who has been travelling to various horse races for more than a decade says that he has become interested in horse racing together with his son Benas.

He has 200 horses

“Children like horses very much. They want to ride them”, notes the Head of Miražas club. Once, it was a long time ago, my son Benas went up to a horse. Since that moment both Gutkauskai’s love of the sport horses has endured to the present day.
“When my mother reclaimed the land we had to occupy ourselves with something. It occurred to me to go in for horse breeding. It is interesting because it is a way of life – both leisure and work. Soon several horses brought from Russia appeared on the farm; later there appeared colts. The son started going in for sports with horses and became champion of the Lithuanian Children Horse Racing Competition, then – a repeated champion of the junior, adult Horse Races. Also, he was granted the right to participate in the Children’s Worldwide Jumping Championship in Chile. He returned a winner from there too. This was my way to this branch of sports”, explains the President of the largest horse-breeding club located in the village of Žačiai near Šiauliai.
Now there is a 4000-square-meter horse jumping court, two closed riding halls in Miražas and three coaches work there. At the present time there are about fifteen sportsmen there and about 200 horses – the Hanovers, Trakėnai, Holsteiners, Oldenburgs. A parent herd is raised and licensed sires from Germany are kept in Miražas.
About 60 horses take an active part in competitions; half that number participates in the tournaments of the highest level. National competitions and the finals are also held at the sports club Miraþas. Viewing stands are built for spectators. There are VIP stands for sponsors and honourable guests. There is a café-bar at the club.

The son wins victories

Gediminas Gutkauskas and his son spend thirty-four weeks per year participating in different competitions held in Central/Middle Europe where his son Benas often wins victories. At the present time Benas holds the second position in this league. Of course, they receive invitations to participate in the competitions, which are held in more distant countries, however, their plans often rest on money – you cannot go to an important competition held in the USA whenever you like, and also take your horse with you. For example, Benas Gutauskas has won the right to participate in the European Championship held in London this year but due to a lack of funds he had to refuse this invitation. The state does not provide any support to the enthusiasts of this branch of sports, not even symbolically.
Gediminas Gutkauskas could talk about his 22-year-old son Benas’ achievements without end. If it had not been for his victories nobody knows how the development on the stud farm would proceed. His son held the fourth place in Central/Middle Europe for two years. The fourth place is the greatest achievement in the history of Independent Lithuania, and currently Benas takes place 266 in the Riders’ World Ranking List. Last year Benas Gutkauskas had place 181.

Foreigners buy horses

How much does it cost to prepare a horse for a competition of the highest level? “We do not count such things, it is not money that decides everything most here. One horse can sometimes be worth your lifelong efforts. It takes at least seven years to raise and prepare a horse for a competition, therefore it is time that is the most expensive thing”, says Gediminas.Gutkauskas. According to him, sport horse breeding is sport rather than business.
Trade in sport horses is carried on in Lithuania too. The Head of the club Miražas manages to sell 10-15 horses per year to the Swiss, Italians, Russians, Germans and the Norwegians. They buy horses in our country quite willingly. Sometimes Gediminas.Gutkauskas is asked to sell his horses after they have scored the victory. The data and results of the horse’s performance are put on the Internet. This also influences the price. By the way, the sports club Miražas operates virtually too (www.horse-g.lt), and everybody who loves horses and is interested in the achievements of Lithuanian horse sports visits the website and finds where to spend time.
The owner of the largest stud farm by the number of horses in Lithuania is a member of the Lithuanian Horse Breeders’ Association and a member of its Board. “One of the objectives of the Association is to create a new Lithuanian breed – a Lithuanian ridding horse”, says the Head of Miražas.

The number of enthusiasts in Lithuania is on the increase

Is it possible to make a living from horse sports in Lithuania? Most probably, yes, unless you invest into development of the stud farm, transport, inventory”, answers Gediminas Gutkauskas. “To my mind ideal conditions are created for horses in Miražas. There are two riding halls, a track, a pool, a shower, and a solarium. Horses are fed with various food additives”.
Sport horse breeding is already recovering in Lithuania. According to Gediminas Gutkauskas, in the soviet era this branch of sports was developed very well and later it deteriorated. At the present time more and more new people who engage in horse breeding appear in Lithuania. This gives hope that the number of stud farms will increase and in the future the state will devote greater attention to them.