Polish showjumper and championship debutant Adam Grzegorzewski has completed his remarkable journey at the European Showjumping Championships at the San Siro racecourse in Milan, Italy (30 August-3 September).
The 25-year-old finished in 79th position with the 10-year-old gelding Issem, who he’s had since a foal, and while Poland narrowly missed out on a slot in Friday’s team medal decider, there are plenty of positives to take out from Adam’s time in Milan.
Now a national hero, Adam has been a key part of Poland’s incredible journey to the Paris Olympics in 2024, qualifying for an Olympic Games for the first time since Moscow in 1980. He and his team-mates secured qualification in Prague this year and the country’s leading riders are now vying for a place on Poland’s first Olympic showjumping squad for over four decades.
“I’m really happy with my horse, he jumped incredible,” said Adam after the second day of jumping at the European Showjumping Championships. “It was the biggest class of our lives.”
The pair just came unstuck at the spooky wall at fence three on Uliano Vezzani’s testing track, where Issem refused. But the pair cleared it second time around and went on to complete the track in fine style.
“Did the wall shock him? I don’t know, he jumped it the second time and he didn’t touch another pole today,” said Adam. “Yesterday, I did not ride my best. I made a small mistake and everything fell apart. The result was also not bad, but the horse jumped good. But today he was incredible. He just spooked at the wall, which he never does. So that was a bit surprising for me, but OK that wall was a bit special.
“We probably just need a bit more experience.
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“I was thinking that the whole course is maybe a bit too tough for us. But at the end, it was incredible. So I’m just really, really disappointed with the results from this.”
European Showjumping Championships: ‘I need to learn from him, not me teaching him!’
Adam has had Issem, a 10-year-old son of Quality Time TN x Clinton, since a foal.
“So I’ve had him all the way through and now he’s so good that I need to learn from him – not me teaching him!” said Adam. “He has all the ability, we just need to get everything together, especially my riding needs to get a bit better, then we can jump these tracks clear. He’s really special and such a super character. He really recognises people and he reacts differently to other people. He’s incredible and really nice to ride.
“He’s known me since the beginning, so we are really good friends.”
Adam Grzegorzewski revealed his plans for the next 12 months ahead of the Paris Olympics.
“Now we just need to find a way to get to the big shows to develop at this level, like here, to be ready for the Olympics,” he said. “After this show we can say ‘OK, maybe the result is not good’, but after this round today, I can see that I can do it. Now we just need to get a bit more experienced and that’s all.”
Watch this space.
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Jennifer is passionate at showjumping and her role as H&H’s showjumping editor has taken her around the world reporting from shows and interviewing riders, connections and those involved behind the scenes. Since joining H&H from BBC Sport in 2005, she has written on every subject across the equestrian sphere — from turnout rugs to stable management — and has interviewed gold medallists, world champions and winners galore. She also has first-hand experience of working in the equestrian industry as a riding instructor and yard manager.
