"Sartai 2024" took place, the grand prize of the winter trotting horse race goes to Anykščiai district (photos)

After a five-year hiatus, 35 trotting horses competed on the ice track of the Dusetai hippodrome in the Sartii race. Due to weather conditions, the sequence of races was changed and 3 horses from Estonia did not arrive, 6 races were held, the winter grand prize goes to Anykščiai district. In the first awards of the year of the Republican Racing Horse League, “Lietuvos rekordas”, “Trainer of the Year” and “Driver of the Year” were presented.

Joana Kėrytė, Director of the Republican Racing Horse League: “We established nominations of the year for merits and achievements in Lithuanian trotting horse sport last year. We are the only organization in Lithuania that takes care of trotting horse breeding and professional and amateur trotting sport. We want to share the victories of trotters, breeders, owners, trainers and handlers with the people of Lithuania”.

The nomination “Lietuvos rekordas” and the RLŽL Cup for the new Lithuanian speed record in trotting horse sport was won by Ernestas Juškauskas, who reached 1 min. 14.33 sec. speed. The nomination “Trainer of the Year” and the “Nemunas” Cup of the Lithuanian Rural Sports and Culture Association went to Žydrūnas Vasilionkas, whose award won by the horse Idealas Cass last year became the third highest award won by this trotter in a row. Stasys Kērys was recognized as the leader of the first places. He was awarded the title of “Coach of the Year” and the cup of the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports of the Republic of Lithuania. The monetary awards for all nominations were established by RLŽL.

In the race for the big winter prize, which was established by the Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania, 5 adult horses of A rating trotting horses competed for the main prize. The prize was won by the duo of Idealas Cass (owner Arūnas Cicėnas) and handler Alvydas Banėnas from Anykščiai district. The duo developed speed up to 1 min. 16.59 sec. and covered the distance of 1609 m in 2 minutes. 03.232 sec. The second and third places in this race were taken by Panther Face, driven by Ernesto Juškauskas (2 min. 3.420 sec.) and Brave Sensation, driven by Egidijus Gudonis (2 min., 3.663 sec.).

The duo of four-year-old Perlos and handler Stasios Kēris (2 min., 03.328 sec.) will record another first place in their history. In the four-year-old horse race, second place was won by Misteris, led by Rytis Lepeškas (2 min. 04.058 secs), and third place by Krystal Cass, led by Alvydas Banėnos (2 min. 09.274 secs).

The trotter Eck Bow, led by Egidijus Gudonis, stood out and won the first place in the race of the B rating of adult horses (2 min. 04.971 sec.). Magis, led by Saulius Matulevičius (2 min. 05.433 sec.), crossed the finish line in second place, Uranus, led by Stasios Kėris (2 min. 05.501 sec.), came third.

The following duos won prizes in the race of the C rating of adult horses: first place – Hypnotist and Ernestas Juškauskas (2 min. 05.971 sec.), Čiangas and Stasys Kērys (2 min. 06.257 sec.), Čirvas and Gedvilė Vinslauskaitė (2 min. 13.391 sec. ). The winners in the D rating race of adult horses were divided as follows: first – Favoritas and Ernestas Juškauskas (2 min. 09.079 sec), second – Lyras and Renata Pažusienė (2 min. 09.307 sec) and third – Bagis and Antanas Juškėnas.

More information about awards.

Republican League of Racehorses founded in 1999 and is the only organization in Lithuania that takes care of trotting horse breeding (runs a racing trotting horse breeding program) and organizes races of this horse breed. The purpose of the league is to popularize the sport of professional and amateur trotting horses, to represent the owners, trainers and handlers of trotting horses.