When you ask about Poland in a London pub – you surely get an answer: “Wojciech Szczęsny”. Polish tourists in Athens often hear the references to other football players as Józef Wandzik or Krzysztof Warzycha, whereas in any endurance event in Abu Dhabi or Dubai a password “Poland” would immediately evoke a response: KAMILA KART, because this tiny, blonde girl is doing very well at their endurance routes.
“Polish Rider Rules Endurance Race” – that was the title of an article published in March on the gulfnews.com website, informing about news from the Persian Gulf. In its sports department ran were also results of the most significant endurance events held in the United Arab Emirates. At that time Kamila Kart hit the headlines of the papers, when she won a three-days-long CEI*** competition, taking place at the distance of 240 km (3×80) in Abu Dhabi. This start was a summary of a magnificent season of the Polish girl riding endurance in the United Arab Emirates.
To conquer the Emirates
In the beginning of 2011 Kamila Kart decided to accept a job in the endurance training center Emirates Stable, owned by the Sheik Al Maktoum. A new chapter of her career she began from winning the Ladies` Cup, sponsored by the Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum, held at the distance of 100 km in March 2011 in Dubai. She covered the distance in 3h 43’4”, what made an average speed of 26,9 km/h. Next successes came in the season 2011/2012. The Polish rider gained more experience and took part in more events, paying her employers back for their trust with good results. In international competitions for 120 km she was placed second and third, respectively. In the event CEI***, for 160 km – The President Cup – she was placed 7th atop Shah Khan (Elcatero – Shananaa/Figaro, bred by Tjust Araber, Sweden), whereas she won the “ladies only” competition for the UAE President`s Cup, at the distance of 90 km. A resume of the successful season was the already mentioned, impressive win in a three-days-long competition for 240 km, held within the Endurance Festival, named after the Sheikh Sultan Zayed Al Nahyan.
Earlier in Poland
Before her setting off to conquer the desert, Kamila represented the “Champion” Equestrian Club, near to Łódź, for more than ten years. She began her career with an impressive success in 2002, when, in the age of 18, she won the Senior Championship of Poland. “The first significant wins of Kamila Kart should be associated with a purebred Elban (Balon – Elekta/Palas, bred by Janów Podlaski), whom they made a perfect couple with. In 2001 Elban became the Champion of 6-year-olds, whereas next year, in 2002, this pair won the Championship of Poland. It was held on the distance of 2×100 km, covered by Kamila and Elban with an average speed of 20,36 km/h”, recalls Ewa Szarska, an international endurance judge.
Next important successes Kamila gained, riding another Balon son – the gelding Cert (Balon – Certoza/Set), bred by Robert Talarek. Together they won a Bronze Medal in Junior and Young Riders Endurance Championships, 120 km, in 2005, Silver in Senior Championships of Poland in 2006, whereas in 2008 they got the Gold.
And now the Championships!
Despite many successes in Poland, she represented her country only once in an international competition of a championships rank. In 2009, together with Cert, she took part in the Senior Riders European Championships at Assisi, Italy. Unfortunately she didn`t finish the competition, like the rest of the Polish team. In August 2012 she will have a chance for improving the results, because she is going to represent Poland, together with Beata Dzikowska and Olga Ciesielska, in Senior Riders World Championships in Euston Park, Great Britain.
“I expect a very good start of Kamila, because she is in a fantastic form now. She is a leader of riders` ranking by the International Equestrian Federation and I hope she confirms her good form in the Euston Park Championships”, says Andrzej Bereznowski, the Chairman of Endurance Committee in Polish Equestrian Union. “It`s important, that during those Championships she will ride Wened”, adds Bereznowski. Wened (Espadero – Włócznia/Borek, bred by Adam Sobczuk), after a successful season of starts under Krzysztof Czarnota (winning of CEI*, 80 km, at Babolna, Hungary and CEI** 120 km, at Kuźnia Nowowiejska, Poland), was exported in the end of 2011 to Dubai. Ridden by Kamila, he covered a distance of 160 km there, with a speed of 19,42 km/h. In the beginning of June our pair was placed second in a CEI** 120 km, with a speed of 21,27 km/h, at Euston Park, where for the European part of a season Dubai horses are stabled.
Such results are promising and raise our hopes for a successful start in the World Championships. “The endurance season 2011/2012 in the Arab Emirates was very fruitful for Kamila”, sums up Olga Ciesielska, Kamila`s friend from the “Champion” Equestrian Club, an endurance competitor, who now lives and starts in Italy. “She is the first Polish lady rider, who achieved so many successes in the Middle Eastern arena.”
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