HORSES AS CELEBRATED AS RIDERS It has been known through- out Serbian history and tra- dition that there can be no hero without a good horse. Famous horses that were al- most as renowned for their own heroism as that of the heroes who rode them have included Damjan’s Zelen- ko, Hajduk-Veljko’s Kušlja, the winged Jabučilo of Duke Momčilo, Marko Kraljević’s Šarac etc. There are also the faithful Đogin of Banović Strahinja, the brave Ždra- lin of Miloš Obilić, who suc- cumbed chivalrously, to- gether with his rider hero, at Gazimestan...
The stable is also presumed to have been born out of Princess Ljubica’s motherly love for her eldest son, Mi- lan, who was often ill, in a desire to create a residence far from the dust of the city. And so it was that Prince Miloš ordered that the entire road from the estate to Požarevac be lined with oak trees. A residence was built, as well as several stables where the prince kept his horses. He gift- ed the estate on which the stud farm was erected to the state. It was given the name Ljubičevo by Prince Mihai- lo, in memory of his mother and the wife of Prince Mi- loš, Princess Ljubica. The City of Požarevac endeavours, year after year, to entice as many competitors and visitors from European countries as possible. In terms of content, we can roughly divide the Games into what happens at the hippodrome on the second and third days and everything that precedes the Games. A series of ancillary events are held on the city’s central square and at institutions in the city. The events organised include concerts by pop artists and groups per- forming different music genres, folklore ensembles, the- atre plays, exhibitions, sporting events, literary evenings etc. A horse fair is held at the Pozarevac Hippodrome on the morning of the first day of the Games. A ceremonial parade through the streets of the city centre is held in the late afternoon hours of day one and includes participating riders, costumed characters from the history of Požarevac in carriages, Roman legionnaires
from Viminacium and the youngest members of the Kn- ez Mihailo Equestrian Society. With the raising of the flag of the Games, the best competitor of the previous year’s Ljubičevo multidiscipline competition recites an oath to do battle honourably and honestly, to compete and conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner during the Games. He simultaneously also submits his sabre, representing a knightly symbol, to the president of the Games’ Organ- ising Committee, who will present it to the new victori- ous winning knight for safekeeping until the next Games. Guests of honour from within Serbia then ceremonious- ly open the event by stating: “The Ljubičevo Equestrian Games may begin”. This is followed by a large fireworks display, while the late evening hours are reserved for en- tertaining spectators and visitors. The sporting part of the Games, representing the most attractive element for individual participants, takes place at the hippodrome on the second and third days. At the culmination of the day, instead of receiving the congrat- ulations of a beautiful maiden, the victorious knight in the multidiscipline Games receives a glittering goblet, cape and sabre. The sabre is unique and specially forged for the winning knight of the Ljubičevo Games, and every new winner is handed the sabre from their predecessor and protects it proudly until the next year’s Games. The sabre is engraved with a chivalrous motto: “Draw me not with- out reason – sheathe me not without honour”.
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