On Friday morning the ground was shaking with the impact of hoofs as the Podhale Carriage Championships started at 10:30 at the Górna Równia Krupowa. The competiotion for the Coachman of the Year came next and the event was followed by the regional invitational singing contest!

The opening ceremony was attended by the Mayor of the City of Zakopane Mr. Leszek Dorula, and the Deputy Mayor Mrs.Agnieszka Nowak-Gąsienica. This year's championship was also attended by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage prof. Piotr Gliński. The audience went wild with emotions. Please find below the detailed list of winners in each category:

Traditional Single Horse Carriage category:

1st place: Andrzej Wójt and Damian Gawlak with Plantek

2nd place: Daniel Gąsienica and Andrzej Bobak with Szafir

3rd place: Tomasz Leja and Andrzej Wójt with the horse Cygan

Representative Double Horse Carriage category:

1st place: Józef Galica-Teremulka and Maria Galica with horses Malwa and Fiesta

2nd place: Wojciech Bucki and Bartłomiej Chowaniec with Ludwin and Lagos

3rd place: Andrzej Wójt and Damian Gawlak with Mitek and Plantek

Sport Single Horse Carriages:

1st place: Małgorzata Skupień and Andrzej Nędza-Chotarski with the horse Hando

2nd place: Małgorzata Skupień with Andrzej Nędza-Chotarski and the horse Hultaj

3rd place: Wojciech and Beata Pożdał with the Count

Sport Double Horse Carriages:

1st place: Tomasz Krajewski and Stanisław Stasiowski with horses Amazonka-S and Argentina-S

2nd place: Marcin and Stanisław Śledź with horses Narona and Doc

3rd place: Tadeusz Andrys and Miłosz Tarka with horses Legato and Portos

The award of the Coachman of the Year went to Mr.Andrzej Wójt!

In the competition for Śpiew Pytacki (Itraditional invitational singing), the jury awarded two second prizes to Wojciech Bucki and Jan Kuchta as well as Andrzej Jarosz and Wojciech Jarosz.

Congratulations to the winners and everyone participating in the competitions. We wish you all the best, many victories in your future careers and an everlasting passion for driving, horses and singing!


The event was co-organized by the Association of Highlanders - Zakopane branch.The International Festival of Highland Folklore has been organized under the Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Mr. Andrzej Duda and the President's Wife, Mrs. Agata Kornhauser-Duda.

The organizers of the event are the City of Zakopane, Zakopane Cultural Center

The event was co-financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund - a state special-purpose fund

Main Partner – Małopolska

Festival Partners -PGNiG, LOTTO Brand

The partner of the event is the National Institute of Rural Culture and Heritage, Polskie Tatry Inc., the Association of Highlanders - Zakopane Branch, the Dr.Tytus Chałubiński Tatra Mountains Museum.

The event is under the honorary patronage of the National Center for Culture

The event is under the Scientific Patronage of the Jagiellonian University and the Pontifical University of John Paul II.

Media Patrons: POLSKIE RADIO PROGRAM PIERWSZY, RADIOWE CENTRUM KULTURY RODZIMEJ, TVP, TVP 3 , TVP KOBIETA, TVP KULTURA, TVP3 KRAKÓW, TVP 3 KATOWICE, Radio Kraków, Radio Dla Ciebie, Polska Press Grupa
Gazeta Krakowska, Dziennik Polski, Kwartalnik TATRY, Elity, Gość Niedzielny, Tygodnik Niedziela, Pismo Folkowe, Folk 24, Kultura Ludowa, Tygodnik Podhalański, 24tp, Góral Info
Kultura Podhala, Małopolska Online, Nowy Targ 24, Serwis Informacyjny Watra, Podhale24, TV Podhale, Zakopiec Info

Special thanks to: Społem Zakopane, Gama Zakopane, Top Brand