Ph.D., Associate Professor A.A. Shakhov
Yelets State University named after I.A. Bunin, Yelets

Keywords: G.I. Ribaupierre, international Olympic movement, Yelets, trotting races.

Count Georgy Ivanovich Ribaupierre (1854-1916) was one of the most prominent figures in the Russian history of sports of the late 19^th – early 20^th centuries. He proved himself to be an all-around athlete in weightlifting and track and field athletics, wrestling, swimming, mountaineering, speed skating, equestrian sport including flat and trotting races, etc. Besides, Ribaupierre was renowned as a founder and leader of sports movement. In 1896, he was unanimously elected as the president of the reopened St. Petersburg Athletic Association, which eventually became a national trendsetter for the sports of weightlifting and wrestling in Russia. G.I. Ribaupierre served as chairman for seven Russian weightlifting championships (in 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903, 1906, 1909, and 1911) [7], as well as the representative of Russia in the IOC since 1900 to 1913, which describes him both as a prominent sports activist of the Russian Empire and the representative of international Olympic movement, contributing to its development. He had a close acquaintance with the father of modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, with whom Ribaupierre held correspondence on various sports issues. G.I. Ribaupierre was among the originators of the Russian Olympic Committee in 1911, wherein became the vice-chairman afterwards.

G.I. Ribaupierre was a major patron of Russian sports. By virtue of his financial and organizational support, Russian athletes participated in the Games of the Fourth Olympiad held in 1908 in London. As a matter of fact, Ribaupierre spotted the potential of Ivan Poddubny, the future six-time consecutive world champion in Greco-Roman wrestling, “The Champion of Champions” and an icon of Russian strength.

In the Soviet sports historiography, Count’s name was buried in oblivion up until the last decades as it regained its recognition among the sport specialists. However, many aspects of Ribaupierre’s biography remain unknown. These blank spots include Ribaupierre’s achievements and long-term activities on the Yelets sport scene, significant on regional and nationwide scale.

The analysis of the Russian pre-revolutionary specialized magazines, Yelets periodical literature of the early XX^th century and scientific sources revealed the following data. Ribaupierre’s thoroughbreds competed in races since 1884. Thus, in terms of the state horse breeding competition, Grozny Lubimec (Terrific Favourite) won the first and second prizes (600 rubles or $462) in the contest for stallions and mares of all ages in the category 3 verst race (2 miles) with re-qualifying test. The race winner’s time was 5min 9sec. Vityaz (Warrior) won the first and second prizes (1100 rubles or $847) in the contest for stallions and mares of at least 5 years of age (born in 1879), in the 4 verst race (2.65 miles), reaching the finish line in 7min 23sec [1, etc.].

In 1885, Ribaupierre was elected vice-president of the Yelets Hunter Horse Association (founded by Stahovich M. A.). At the time, only a governor could hold presidency in a thoroughbred racing association, although, technically, the burden of office duties was taken by the vice-president. G.I. Ribaupierre allocated large sums of money for prizes: 1150 rubles ($885.5) in 1885, 1200 rubles ($924) in 1886, 1200 rubles and a gold medal with the coat of arms of Count Ribaupierre in the value of 150 rubles ($115.5) in 1887, 1200 rubles and a gold medal in 1890, 1100 rubles ($847) and a gold medal in 1891, 1200 rubles in 1894, 700 rubles ($350) and a gold medal in the value of 150 rubles ($75) in 1910 [1,3, etc.].

For 30 years G.I. Ribaupierre was the leader of the Yelets Trotting Association up until the day of his death. In the following years, as a tribute to his achievements, the members of the association had been organizing the awards in his honor [4].

The following Ribaupierre’s thoroughbreds took part at the Yelets races: Patrontash (Bandoleer), Otvaga (Prowess), Plovetc (Swimmer), Britva (Razor), Faust and many others. Driven by Efremov E. and Sorokin A. [1, 3, etc.], the trotters Grozny Lubimec and Vityaz were famous throughout Russia.

Besides summer races in the late August and early September, the winter races took place from January through February. For this purpose the Winter Hunter Horse Association was founded in Yelets, in which Ribaupierre was an honorary member sponsoring awards [2, etc.].

To Ribaupierre, family ties also found place at Yelets scene: in 1883 his sister, Olga Ivanovna Ribaupierre, got married with A.A. Stahovich, Jr. [5]. Their son and Georgy’s nephew, A.A. Stakhovich III, became one of the key figures in tennis development worldwide. He was a member of the Russian National Lawn Tennis Association, vice-chairman in the St. Petersburg Athletic Club, member of the International Lawn Tennis Federation. A.A. Stahovich served as chairman for many Russian and world tournaments, including the World Championships held in Paris, in 1913, competitions of the Russian and English tennis players, national football championships in 1912 and 1914, etc. A.A. Stakhovich coached Count Mikhail Sumarokov-Elston, an eight-time national tennis champion of the pre-revolutionary Russia, keeping him company at the 1912 Summer Olympics.

The Palna estate of Stakhovich family (Yeletsky district) comprised three tennis courts. For the competitions held there the prizes were awarded in honor of Count Ribaupierre. The Palna sports club was truly unique, since it was the only association in the Russian Empire contributing to the tennis sports development in the county.  

Georgy Ribaupierre sponsored the participation of the Russian athletes in the 1908 Summer Olympics. The event became one of the landmarks of the Russian sports history. Alexander Petrov, a member of the Russian team, won a silver medal in Greco-Roman super heavyweight class of wrestling. In this regard, undoubtedly, A.P. Petrov was one of the first Russian athletes winning such a high value medal which still remains one and only for the Yelets citizens. At the same time, according to many spectators witnessing the final fight in super heavyweight over 93 kg (205 lbs.), our compatriot was the one who rightly deserved a gold medal. In the letter to Baron Pierre de Coubertin, Ribaupierre commented on the results of the 1908 Olympics: “Before the Game I was sure they would show good results. Now, as it is all over, in all seriousness I believe each of them is worth the Olympic gold. So what could possibly go wrong?

Petrov not only defeated the opponents, but also demonstrated his excellent strength and agility. He wasn’t awarded. It was justified by the presumption that ‘Petrov won only because of bigger muscle mass and body constitution’. Nonsense! I have been breeding horses and participating in horse races on daily basis for 30 years. I’ve never gone against a decision of the jury, and I’m not going to do this now. Although as an athlete, I have every right to state that the panel of judges evaluated the Russian athletes, who are the best in their class, subjectively. There were no representatives of Russia in the jury, so the Russian athletes did not receive the gold medals, despite clear superiority in all aspects. It is, doubtless, the undeniable superiority. In fact, Alexander Petrov is a combat medic and stands equal to the professional French wrestler. Moreover, he defeated Akitaro Ono, the famous Japanese wrestler, several times in St. Petersburg.” [6]

Conclusion. G.I. Ribaupierre was an influential sports activist of the pre-revolutionary Russia who took an active part in sports progress in Yelets and Yeletsky district, made a substantial contribution to the development of trotting race, gave rise to the tennis sport in Russia; facilitating the Olympism concept, he assisted the Yelets athletes in earning their only medal.

  References

1. Rysistye bega v Yel'tse (Yelets trotting races) // Russkiy sport. – 1884. – № 20.
2. Bega v Yel'tse (Races in Yelets) // Russkiy sport. – 1888. – № 5.
3. Abramov, A. Eletskie bega (Yelets races) / A. Abramov // Yeletskaya zhizn'. – 1910. – 31 Aug.
4. Rezul'taty begov 9 avgusta (Races results) // Yeletskiy vestnik. – 1915. – № 41. – 15 Aug.
5. Eletskie korni (Yelets origins). – Yelets: «Yeletskie kuranty». – 1996. – 272 P.
6. Goloshchapov, B.R. Istoriya fizicheskoy kul'tury i sporta: ucheb. posobie dlya stud. vyssh. ped. ucheb. zavedeniy (History of physical culture and sport: study guide for students of higher. ped. educ. institutions) / B.R. Goloshchapov. – Moscow: Akademiya, 2002. – 312 P.
7. Sunik, A.B. Rossiyskiy sport i olimpiyskoe dvizhenie na rubezhe XIX-XX vekov. (Russian sport and Olympic movement at the turn of XIX-XX centuries) 2nd ed., rev. and sup. / A.B. Sunik. – Moscow: Sovetskiy sport, 2004. – 764 P.: il.

Corresponding author: shakhov-art@yandex.ru