DeKenyeres
Congratulations to our 2009 Winners:
Becky Adams, Rachel Kilgour and Mackenzie Ryall
The Captain De Kenyeres Rider Development Scholarship Program
Dressage Winnipeg is once again pleased to offer its scholarship program to support the development of riders in the sport of dressage.
The program now offers scholarships in two age categories:
- Junior Riders (aged 11-15 as of January 1, 2010): 2 scholarships of $250 each
- Young Riders (aged 16-21 as of January 1, 2010): 2 scholarships of $500 each
Riders who have won a scholarship at the Junior Rider (age 11-15) level are not eligible to win a scholarship at that level, but will be eligible when they reach the age of 16 to compete for a Young Rider (age 16-21) scholarship. Riders aged 16-21 who win a scholarship in 2010 will not be eligible to enter the program again.
To apply for the scholarship Riders must:
- Fill out a De Kenyeres entry form and pay a registration fee of $5.00.
- Be a 2010 Dressage Winnipeg member in good standing
- Compete in a Dressage Seat Equitation Class at any of the first three Dressage Winnipeg shows of 2010. Riders may enter more than one equitation class if they wish to try and improve their score for the selection process for the September final class. Their highest score in any equitation class will be used in the selection process. Riders pay show entry fees for equitation class. Riders who are not entering the DW show except for the equitation class, may bring their horse to the show for the day, but will not be assigned a stall nor have to pay for stabling. Riders should complete a show entry form and pay the administration fee in order to receive a number which must be worn at all times while on the show grounds. Horses may not be tied to a vehicle or trailer, tree, fence or building, or any other object. The horse must be held by the rider or designate when the rider is not mounted.
- Riders Aged 11-15: Complete a research questionnaire which will be issued to them when they send in their De Kenyeres entry form. Completed questionnaire must be emailed or postmarked to the De Kenyeres Coordinator by August 20, 2010. Marks will be deducted for late submissions.
- Riders Aged 16-21: Write an essay on "Possible Solutions To My Riding Difficulties" and email or mail (postmarked) to the De Kenyeres Coordinator by August 20, 2010. Marks will be deducted for late submissions. The essay must give details about 2 specific problems that the writer recognizes they have when working with their horse on dressage skills. The writer must use two or more references, such as books, magazines, or internet information, to suggest methods to improve their areas of difficulty. These references must be footnoted and listed in a bibliography as well. If internet information is used, a copy of the article or material from the internet must be included with the essay. (Length not to exceed two type written pages double spaced.)
The top 10 highest scoring riders in each age category (based on assisgnment scores and equitation class scores) will compete in a special De Kenyeres equitation class at the September 2010 DW Dressage Show at Bird's Hill Park.
Scoring:
- 20% - quiz or essay
- 20% - equitation class
- 60% - De Kenyeres Class at September 2010 Dressage Winnipeg Show at Bird's Hill Park
In the event of a tie, the rider with the highest score in the De Kenyeres Class will be the winner.
Scholarship winners will be announced at the September 2010 Dressage Winnipeg Show and their photographs taken for use in Dressage Winnipeg publications and website.
Download and print and Entry Form for 2010
De Kenyeres Program Coordinator:
Merelyn Hunkin, Box 206, Oakville Manitoba
Phone: 1-204-267-2889. Email: chunkin@mts.net
27 August 2009
Captain John de Kenyeres (1918-2004)
The equestrian discipline of dressage in Winnipeg and Manitoba owes much to Captain John de Kenyeres. Captain de Kenyeres came to Canada in 1956 from Hungary at the time of the Hungarian Revolution. He and his wife, Katherine, settled in Toronto where he was offered a position with the prestigious Eglinton Pony Club as manager and chief equestrian instructor. While in Toronto, he became Honorary Captain of the Lieutenant Governor's Horse Guard.
John de Kenyeres grew up in Hungary. In 1918 he graduated from the Ludovika Royal Hungarian Military College with the rank of lieutenant. He was assigned to the 4th Hussar Regiment of Nyiregyhaza and as a member of the regiment fought in the Second World War (1939-1945) where he was wounded and decorated for bravery. In 1945, he was captured by Soviet forces and was interned for six years in a prisoner of war camp and then on his return to Hungary was incarcerated for another three years as a political prisoner.
In 1970, Captain de Kenyeres moved from Toronto to Winnipeg when he was hired as riding instructor for the Charleswood Riding Club, a private riding stable owned by the Richardson family. The Charleswood Riding Club was later sold to Rick Payne and was renamed Westgates Stable. Captain Kenyeres continued at Westgates until his retirement. He died in Winnipeg on 30 May 2004.
Captain John de Kenyeres, "The Captain", brought to his classes his own equestrian training in the Hungarian military. He was an educated, sophisticated man of aristocratic background with a passion for horses and classical riding. While at Westgates he encouraged the development of dressage as an equestrian discipline in Winnipeg and Manitoba. He initiated dressage horse shows, the first being at the Charleswood Riding Club in 1973. At the same time, he served as a judge for national and international equestrian competitions. In 1975 under Captain Kenyeres' direction, for the first time, Manitoba sent an equestrian team (dressage, eventing and jumping), to the Western Canada Games held in Regina. During the 1970's several judges' clinics were held at Charleswood/Westgates and monies were raised to sponsor riders so that they could go to the National Championships. In 1976, following the Olympics, world famous equestrian, George Theodorescu, came to Charleswood to evaluate the horses and riders. An early Kenyeres rider Gillian Sevier writes: "John [de Kenyeres] , of course, was absolutely vital to all of these activities as his advice and help was always needed. He taught virtually all of our early dressage riders and continued teaching - and I mean ‘teaching', not coaching or training - up until he could no longer drive."
Captain de Kenyeres' disciplined approach to the instruction of dressage has had a lasting impact on the advance of this equestrian discipline in Winnipeg. As the riding school master at Charleswood/Westgates Stable, he introduced dressage to a number of riders who later opened their own dressage barns and rode competitively, such as Elke Otumba, Hilary Versavel, Judy Wilson and Judy Wittman. Others rode competitively like Jacquie Crone, Cheryl Hemming, Lisa Paterson, Louise Prendergast, and Susan Ramsay; and still others became judges like Jennifer Labella and Kathy Sevier-Wiens.
Beyond managing dressage barns and introducing a host of young and not so young riders to dressage, a number of De Kenyeres riders became involved in the organization of the discipline of dressage in the province. Their work has been central to the creation of the Manitoba Dressage Association (MDA) in 1976 and Dressage Winnipeg (DW) in 1987. Kenyeres riders who served as chairs of the Manitoba Dressage Association and Dressage Winnipeg include: Cheryl Hemming, Louise Prendergast, Hilary Versavel and Judy Wittman.
Captain John de Kenyeres' passion for horses and classical riding lives on in the work of Dressage Winnipeg, its horse shows, riding clinics and riders committed to equestrian sport.
The Captain John de Kenyeres Junior Rider Development Fund
In the autumn of 1998, Captain John de Kenyeres donated funds to Dressage Winnipeg in loving memory of his wife, Katherine, who passed away earlier that year. The monies were to be used to further dressage awareness for young riders. In 2000, Dressage Winnipeg struck a committee to establish a process whereby the funds could be used. After much consultation with Captain de Kenyeres, the Junior Rider Development Fund was established. The Fund provides young riders with the opportunity to take riding lessons taught by approved dressage coaches in Winnipeg and its surrounding region.
Each year Dressage Winnipeg organizes a competition supported by the Captain John de Kenyeres Junior Rider Development Fund. Riders between the ages of 12 and 18 years are encouraged to apply. The competition involves participation in a number of schooling shows throughout a calendar year, an essay on horsemanship, and (if an applicant becomes one of ten qualifiers), entry into the Captain John de Kenyeres Memorial Horse Show, held in June.
References:"Passages," Winnipeg Free Press, 5 June 2004
Dressage Winnipeg Archival Collection
