20th National Equestrian Tournament at Eco Park Varna
Eco Park Varna and the Municipality of Varna presented the jubilee XXth edition of the National Equestrian Tournament for the Cup of Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski." The competition took place on September 2, 2024 (Sunday) at the University Botanical Garden – Eco Park Varna, starting at 14:00. The tournament was officially opened by Dr. Krasimir Kosev, Director of the University Botanical Gardens at Sofia University "St. Kliment Ohridski," followed by a welcoming speech from Acad. Nikolai Vitanov, Deputy Minister of Education and Science, who was the official guest of the event.
The event is a tradition at Eco Park Varna and attracts jockeys and horses from sports clubs across the country. This year, participants competed in the following disciplines: "X" Jumping Course, Show Jumping on Time for Amateurs and Children, Show Jumping on Time with No Class Restrictions, Relay Race with Passing the Whip, Jumping up to 140 cm with Joker, and Triple Bar Jumping.
Among all the disciplines, several first-place winners stood out, including Alexandra Atanasova from KKS "Staniil" in Dobrich with the horse Adana, who was described by the chief judge of the tournament, Vasil Dobrev, as a "real gem" in the competition.
The Cup in the final and most exciting discipline – Triple Bar Jumping – was awarded to Martina Gaidarova from KKS Shumen with the horse Athena. The cup was presented by Alexandra Ilieva in memory of her father, Mr. Ognyan Iliev, the long-time director of the University Botanical Garden in Varna.
The event was organized in cooperation with the Equestrian Sports Club "Varna" and with the support of the Municipality of Varna - Directorate of "Sport." The organization of sporting events is part of the social mission of the botanical gardens, highlighting their role in the cultural life and education of their guests and visitors.
