Alexis Pantchoulidzew

Prince Bernard (left) with Pantchoulidzew

Alexis "Tschuli" Pantchoulidzew (Russian: Алексей Панчулидзев; 18 September 1888, Pyatigorsk, Russia – 10 April 1968, Diepenheim, the Netherlands) was a Russian-born Dutch nobleman and equestrian.[1] He was a long-term partner of Princess Armgard of Sierstorpff-Cramm and mentor to her son, Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld.[2] As equestrian, he was the only competitor for the Netherlands at the Dutch-boycotted 1956 Summer Olympics;[3] aged 67, he was also the eldest participant at those Olympics and the eldest Dutch Olympian ever.[2][4]

Biography

Pantchoulidzew was born in the noble Russian family of Панчулидзевы, in Pyatigorsk, a town close to Georgia where he served with the cavalry.[2] After the revolution of 1917 he fled Russia and eventually settled in the Netherlands.[5] There he became a long-term partner of Princess Armgard of Sierstorpff-Cramm and a mentor to her son, Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld, with whom he shared a passion for horse riding. Bernhard learned riding from Pantchoulidzew, and together they took part in international competitions.[2] Pantchouldidzew was also appointed by the FEI the international governing body of horse sports in Switserland, as an official member of the jury d'appel for the showjumping competition at the 1956 Olympic Games in Stockholm.

1956 Olympics

After World War II, Bernhard became a patron to Pantchoulidzew. Being a Dutch prince and president of the International Federation for Equestrian Sports (since 1954), he arranged that Pantchoulidzew received Dutch citizenship and was the only Dutch competitor at the 1956 Stockholm Equestrian Games.[2]

The Netherlands boycotted the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia, because of the Soviet Union's invasion of Hungary. However, the strict Australian quarantine regulations resulted in the Olympic equestrian events being held in Stockholm, Sweden, five months earlier,[3][4] and, with the help of Bernhard, Pantchoulidzew was allowed to participate at his own expenses. He took part in the individual Grand Prix dressage with the horse Lascar that did belong to Prince Bernhard. He finished in 28th place among 36 participants, in presence of the Dutch Prince and Princess Armgard of Sierstorpff-Cramm. To his disadvantage, he had to start first, and thus could not adjust his performance to competitors.[1][2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Alexis Pantchoulidzew. sports-reference.com
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Jurryt van de Vooren (20 March 2013) Koningshuis wankelde tijdens de Olympische Ruiterspelen van 1956. sportgeschiedenis.nl
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Floris van Hoorn (9 May 2008) Olympische Spelen 1956: Jaap Rijks at the Wayback Machine (archived May 13, 2008). wereldomroep.nl
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 1956 Stockholm Equestrian Games. sports-reference.com
  5. ↑ Dorine Hermans (2012). Wie ben ik dat ik dit doen mag. Meulenhoff Boekerij B.V. pp. 192–3. ISBN 978-94-6023-253-4.