HORSE AND HUNGARY
Horses have played an important role in the history of many countries, but only a handful of nations are as famous for their relationship to horses as Hungary. The influence of these remarkable animals is intricately woven into the fabric of Hungarian culture, society and survival. Hungary's Embassy in London have given Ms Szabo the task to create / curate a collection of exquisite images to embody and present this influence for a unique exhibition 'Horse and Hungary'.
Below is a glimpse into some of her creations currently on display in London.
A selection of these prints will be available for sale from the end of May 2026.
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IIn the 9th century, the Magyars, or Hungarians, arrived at their now homeland, the Carpathian Basin on horseback. „Sagittis Hungarorum libera nos, Domine!" - was amongst the prayers of many in Europe during the era of the raids of Hungary's fierce horseback archers across of Europe.
Over time, as military techniques evolved, the continent saw the first Hussar regiments fight in King Matthias' famous Black Army that claimed the city of Vienna in 1485. Today’s modern Hussars are to play a vital role in the army in the future.
Horse racing has also been an integral part of Hungarian horse culture. Arguably, one of the most successful horse sport champions of all time is Kincsem, the unbeatable mare.
Hungary's deep-rooted horse breeding and training traditions captured the attention of the late Prince Philip, too. Acknowledging the accomplishments of Hungarian carriage drivers, the Duke, as President of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, was a keen supporter of the initiation of the FEI Four-in-hand European Championships and opened the first ever of its kind in Budapest in 1971. Philip returned to the country on many more occasions to appreciate Hungarian horse traditions and to successfully compete at carriage driving competitions.
The "Puszta Five" is a spectacular equestrian feat from Hungary's Great Plain (the Puszta), where a traditional horseman, or csikós, rides five (or more) horses at once, standing balanced on the two rear horses while controlling the others. Michelle Gulyás is a Hungarian modern pentathlete who won the women's event at the 2024 Summer Olympics, setting a new world record with 1461 points. She is the last ever pentathlete to have ridden a horse for the gold medal at the Olympics before show jumping was removed from the sport.
Joe Túri was a Hungarian equestrian much loved in the United Kingdom. In 1973, he defected to Great Britain, and competed in two events at the 1988 Summer Olympics for the British team. He won gold at the 1989 European Show Jumping Championships in the team event. He would later also represent Hungary at the 2000 Summer Olympics.