April 12, 2017 – The “Grand-Dame” of Russian Trotting today celebrates her 80th birthday. Alla Polzunova was born in Saratov on April 12, 1937. Soon the family moved to Abakan, where she studied and graduated from high school with high honors. She then received higher education at the Moscow Agricultural Academy and graduated in 1958 with a red diploma. Much of her early work is connected with the Central Moscow Hippodrome, where she worked as an assistant driver in the stables of outstanding trainers Alexander Shchetsyn, and then Pavel Lytkin.
At the age of 31, Alla obtained her trainers license, and she had horses from Zlyn, Aleksandrovka, Dubrovka studs. She was not afraid to work with the most difficult trotters and achieved significant professional heights in racing. She recorded a victory in the Derby with the mare Gugenotka, four times she won the Priz Mira and one time took the Priz Elita with the mare Gliciniya. Her trotters set 12 all-Union records, and Gliciniya’s record stood for 36 years. She managed to rein several horses faster than “two-minutes” – Vlastny (1.58.7) and Ideal (1.58.8). In total, she won over 900 races, including 65 traditional and international prizes. When she was 35 she earned the title of a master-trainer.
Busy work at the racetrack was successfully combined with scientific, teaching and organizational activities. She engaged in postgraduate study with a prominent scientist Mr. G. Karlsen, writing her thesis on training trotters. In 1974, on her initiative, the club of amateur riders was created. She attracted a considerable number of horse lovers to the racetrack, organized amateur races, and conducted extensive educational work.
Alla Polzunova also made a significant contribution to the development and strengthening of international cooperation, becoming a great friend of “North American Trotting Ambassador” Delvin Miller. Due to her work, the Association "Trotting Horse Breeding of Russia" is a full member of international organizations: the World Trotting Association (ITA), the European Trotting Union (UET), the Association of the Mediterranean and Black Sea Countries (MHU). In 2007, she was elected an honorary member of the World Trotting Association (ITA). Ms. Polzunova is an active member of the technical committee of UET. Thanks to her outstanding business activity, the Days of France in Russia and the Days of Russia in France at the Vincennes Hippodrome (Paris) have been held annually since 1997. Since 2012, she joined with the French trotting association at the racetracks of Russia, and the "French Trotter" program has been successfully carried out.
The role of Alla Polzunova (General Secretary of the Commonwealth Trotting Association of Russia) in the information support of the horse breeding industry is also great. Since 1991, under her leadership, a specialized magazine "Trotting News" has been published, as well as an information site www.trotting.ru, which is very popular in 55 countries. This is the only information portal in Russia on the trotting business. Ms. Polzunova is the author and co-author of six books about trotters and she is a regular commentator on the TV channel "Equestrian World TV. During her career at the racetrack and in public organizations, Alla Polzunova has established herself as a highly qualified leader, and she enjoys deserved authority, respect and awards such as the Order of the Badge of Honor.
Karoj Kotun (www.ugeto.com)
