Piude Myrskog & George Bazar Photo Sonja Holma
Piude Myrskog and the Hungarian Chief Steward of the Olympics Pia “Piude” Myrskog, an international steward at the Helsinki Horse Show, received a delightful invitation to the Paris Olympics. In Paris, she served as the deputy chief steward for eventing and as a steward for show jumping and dressage. This was Piude’s second time at the Olympics.
“The steward’s primary task is to maintain the welfare of the horses. The second is to ensure compliance with the rules, such as the correct equipment and warm-up jumps. The riding style must align with today’s standards. We intervene in cases of aggressive riding or if a horse is held in too deep a frame. A single photograph doesn’t always tell the whole story, as a horse moves in varying forms. Horses are not machines. Today’s discussions and attention are focused on the well-being of the horse. We all need to move in the right direction.”
The world’s best horses were provided with well-equipped tent stables, several warm-up areas with top footing, veterinary services, and even cooling tents. “The horses here are top athletes. These are the best horses and the best riders in the world. These horses are cared for as top athletes, and they look content here.”
The work of the stewards was demanding, the days were extremely long, and the stewards were under considerable pressure. They had a ready-made protocol for the issues they needed to address. “When the rules are clear, officials and riders, everyone, move in the same direction, and it’s not about opinions.”
The atmosphere was highly charged, as the Olympics are the highest possible goal in a rider’s career. For example, for Americans, it is a goal they aim for every four years. “The Olympics are the Olympics. It’s quite an event of its own. Even though I’ve worked at five-star events in every discipline, this is something special. Teams, coaches, riders, and the entire support crew—or in some countries, the ‘army’—are under immense pressure to perform well.”
The first task of the stewards is to assist, guiding everyone in the right direction. For example, riders are often eager to have their equipment checked by the stewards in advance to avoid the worst possible outcome: disqualification. Depending on the discipline, horses undergo inspections both before and after their performances. “It’s largely about organizing people, whether it’s a horse inspection or ensuring the competition flow.”
In Versailles, there were 57 stewards from 25 different countries. Among them were five level 4 stewards who will attend the Helsinki Horse Show, and a total of eight stewards who will come to Helsinki. One of them is Monica Gomez Su from Mexico, well known to the Finns. She was responsible for checking the correctness of the logos used in Paris. “Quite an experienced group,” Piude smiles.
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