Shades of Cobb and Co

By Harley Walden

THE Russian Troika, runs between Moscow and Leningrad.

The train received its name as a result of a competition in which some 4,000 people participated, the winner was Vladimir Kulinin of Leningrad.

In Moscow’s Stud Museum one can see 16 pictures devoted to the Russian Troika.

Painted in the past, the quadruped heroes are shown in a snowy forest and on a summer road, driving the post sleighs, and carrying holiday-makers during Lent.

In our day it is difficult to appreciate the role played by the troikas in the past, when there were no railways in Russia.

They sped along the roads to the accompaniment of jingling bells, carrying passengers and the post.

On July 2, 1847, a troika race was held for the first time on the road Kkodynlynskoye Field in Moscow with the winner being a bay threesome, which covered 35.2km in one hour 21 minutes.

Composing a troika is a whole science, demanding patience, persistence, industry and specific knowledge.

Taken into consideration are not only the age and speed of the colts, but also their characters and coats which must be uniform, if they are to make a harmonious trio.

The shaft-horse in the middle must be strong and hardy, of Dryol or Russian pedigree, its trot must be precise and moderate, its head held high and straight and it must be larger than the side horses, which are usually thoroughbreds.

Moscow’s best troika-driver was a young Anatoly Kozlov.

In 1966 his troika was due to display at the Royal Exhibition in London, but it was delayed and missed the ship.

In 1910 two Russian troikas – grey and black – had won a first and second prize at a horse show in London, this was the only time Londoners had their glimpse of the colourful troika.

In 1958 a grey troika was dispatched to the United States as a gift to Cyrus Eaton, the outstanding peace champion. Its success there one can judge from the fact that some 15,000 people flocked to Cleveland Hippodrome to view it.

Ten years later the Soviet Government presented Cyrus Eaton with a second grey troika.

After covering 1,967 km by railway, the horses arrived in Murmansk (the Soviet Northern port) from Moscow and boarded the diesel-electric Volkhovges in which a stable was furnished for them.

From Montreal, the troika and its driver travelled by railway again to Eaton’s ranch in the state of Ohio.

In Moscow the Russian troika season begins at the end of December when the traditional annual Russian Winter Art Festival is held.

Troika- riding is then held in the big forest park of Izmailovo and at the USSR Economic Achievement Exhibition where a commission of experts picks out the best set of horses at the end of January.

This meet is attended not only by representatives of Russia, but also by their “colleagues” from Kazakhstan and the Ukraine.

Beginning with 1957, Russian troika races have been held at the Moscow Hippodrome.

The stretches range from 1800meters to five kilometres, so far the record for the 1800m stretch equals 2min.19.1sec.

The races are now held every February.

Though the Moscow troikas are busy enough, newlyweds are making them still busier.

The first wedding train of troikas was seen in Moscow in 1963.

This surprise was sprung on Vladimir Salomykov and his bride Marina Zharova by their student friends.

It was not easy for the troikas to gallop down Moscow’s lively thoroughfares for their way was barred by numerous cars whose drivers were nonplussed by this unusual form of transport.